Pro athletes are used to getting their teammates' backs during a game, and now they're stepping up for their colleagues in another entertainment-related field. A coalition of eight professional sports unions put out a statement on Wednesday pledging its support to the Writers Guild of America and its striking WGA writers.
The statement is a joint message of support from the players' unions for Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, the Women's National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, Major League Soccer, the National Women’s Soccer League, and the United States Women's National (Soccer) Team.
The message reads: “The MLBPA, MLSPA, NBPA, NFLPA, NHLPA, NWSLPA, USWNTPA and WNBPA stand in solidarity with WGA members in their fight for a fair deal that reflects the immense value they create for the television and film industries.”
It further states that “Writers deserve a contract that provides the work conditions necessary for their creativity to thrive.”
The words of support reflect the connection between the worlds of sports and television/film as important mediums of entertainment for its fans.
Pro athletes undoubtedly can also relate to labor contract conflicts with billionaire employers — as nearly all of the major sports unions have been affected by players' strikes at one time or another in recent memory. Further, some of the same issues even resonate in the sports world. Many under-the-radar pro athletes struggle with salary concerns, even as their superstar colleagues make millions. It's much the same for lower level television and film writers, struggling for fair pay in a lucrative field, even as some of their A-list colleagues are compensated far more handsomely.
It remains to be seen how the WGA strike, now in its third week, will play out, but it must be nice to know they've got the support of the world's best athletes in their corner.
Note: Josh Silverstein is a member of the WGA, West.
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