{"id":19794,"date":"2019-05-02T20:36:33","date_gmt":"2019-05-02T20:36:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/2019\/05\/02\/200-female-pro-hockey-players-lay-down-their-sticks-demanding-better-conditions\/"},"modified":"2019-05-02T20:36:33","modified_gmt":"2019-05-02T20:36:33","slug":"200-female-pro-hockey-players-lay-down-their-sticks-demanding-better-conditions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/200-female-pro-hockey-players-lay-down-their-sticks-demanding-better-conditions\/","title":{"rendered":"200 Female Pro Hockey Players Lay Down Their Sticks Demanding Better Conditions"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Amy Held<\/a><\/span> <\/p>\n

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\n More than 200 of the top female hockey players have decided they will not play professionally in North America next season. They are calling for a sustainable league with better resources. Pictured are Hilary Knight (left) with Kelly Pannek, playing with the U.S. national team last month in Finland. Both signed on to the boycott.<\/p>\n

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Jussi Nukari\/AP<\/p>\n

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Jussi Nukari\/AP<\/p>\n

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Decrying the sorry state of salary and support for women’s hockey, around 200 female players announced Thursday they won’t play the game at the professional level across North America, until they get a league with “the resources that professional hockey demands and deserves.”<\/p>\n

“We cannot make a sustainable living playing in the current state of the professional game,” said the statement<\/a> several players posted to their social media accounts. “Having no health insurance and making as low as two thousand dollars a season means players can’t adequately train and prepare to play at the highest level.”<\/p>\n

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We may represent different teams, leagues and countries but collectively we stand as one. #ForTheGame<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/O9MOOL8YOt<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Hilary Knight (@HilaryKnight) May 2, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n

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By contrast on the men’s side, Forbes says<\/a> the top ten players of the 2018-2019 season each brought home multi-million dollar paychecks from the NHL, with lucrative endorsement deals topping them off.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, the Canadian Women’s Hockey League officially discontinued operations<\/a>, citing an economically unstable business model, leaving the National Women’s Hockey League<\/a> the sole remaining professional league in North America.<\/p>\n

The NWHL had been hoping to fold in players from the Canadian league and said Thursday<\/a>, despite the boycott, it still plans to proceed with season five in October with its five teams.<\/p>\n