Many of the top American stars are boycotting the 2017 Women’s World Hockey Championship held in Plymouth Michigan which includes Hillary Knight, Amanda Kessel, and many others as well including the captain Meghan Duggan. The boycott being the reason of wage gap which are seeing the women’s players only being paid $1000.00 a month over a 6 month Olympic residency.
Fanshawe College professor of hockey subcultures, Claire Senior says this a bold move being made by the players, ” I think it’s a savy move being made by the women’s team. If you look at the numbers, they have been criminally in supported for years. There are players that have to live with their parents, have to take a 2nd or third job, and don’t have the finances to start families.”
However, expect to only see a boycott from only the American team as other nations like to keep their finances closed to the public and that the Canadian women’s program sees development players making $900 and senior-level players make $1500 even outside of their 9th month Olympic residency.
Claire Senior says that with this protest, the American Hockey Federation will look into replacement players to represent the hockey team on home soil, ” They are committed to icing a team on home soil since they have to because they are hosting. The term they came up with would be replacement players as in players who have tried out for the team and did not make it or many of its players in the college ranks.”
The tournament runs from March 31st to April 7th which will see nations like USA, Canada, Finland, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany and Czech Republic.
