HARRISON, N.J. — Two years after they began a public fight for equal pay, and a year after they signed a new collective bargaining agreement, the United States women’s soccer team has emerged as a new kind of role model, and a surprisingly valuable resource, for women’s teams from around the world.
Canada’s soccer team asked for advice on how to get maternity coverage into their contracts. W.N.B.A. players did the same when they had questions about how best to press their owners for leaguewide standards on issues like hotels, travel and trainers. And last fall, a player from the United States women’s hockey team reached out.