Part 10 Bonus: Dan Lust

Shortly after the publication of Payback, Part 10, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced it had ratified groundbreaking collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) with both the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams, guaranteeing the players equal pay—the resolution of a decades-long fight by Jessica Mc…

Part 10: Pay Up

In late 2020, something unusual happens: Jessica McDonald and her USWNT teammates lose—this time in court, as the players’ lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation suffers a major setback. Yet, with a new president of U.S. Soccer on their side, the groundwork is laid for a breakthrough, including…

Part 9 Bonus: Dr. Leeja Carter

As listeners heard in Part 9 of Payback, the role of athletes acting as advocates has never been more prevalent—or more polarizing. That’s particularly true for women athletes of color. In this extended interview, Alex Andrejev speaks with Dr. Leeja Carter, an associate professor of exercise psycho…

Part 9: Nasty Women

In early 2019, heated internal negotiations explode into public view as 28 USWNT players, including Jessica McDonald, file a landmark lawsuit against U.S. Soccer for “institutionalized gender discrimination.” In that lawsuit, the players argue they play more games and win more often than the U.S. m…

Part 8: My Other Half

The unlikeliest of U.S. Women’s National Team journeys comes full circle in a doctor’s office. There, on a phone call during a routine checkup for her reconstructed knee, 31-year-old Jessica McDonald gets the call she’s waited for her entire life. But realizing her global soccer ambitions will mean…

Part 7: Smooth as Butter

After her first minutes with the U.S. Women’s National Team, Jessica McDonald returns to the NWSL, and is once again on the move. This time, it’s her entire team, as the Western New York Flash become the North Carolina Courage. McDonald is only paid roughly $13,000 per season; but she flourishes ba…

Part 6 Bonus: Dr. Tanya Prewitt-White

Content warning: This episode contains adult language and adult themes, including sexual coercion and emotional abuse. If you or anyone you know is facing these issues, help is available through RAINN, the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. Visit RAINN.org, or call their hotline: 8…

Part 6: Hanging by a Thread

Content warning: This episode contains adult language and adult themes, including sexual coercion and emotional abuse. If you or anyone you know is facing these issues, help is available through RAINN, the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. Visit RAINN.org, or call their hotline: 8…

Part 5: The Tiny Prophet

In 2010, Jessica McDonald is drafted by the Chicago Red Stars of WPS, the women’s professional soccer league. The WPS acts as a feeder system for the larger U.S. national team, and McDonald is poised to become the fresh blood the USWNT needs. But in her first pro start, McDonald tears the patellar …

Part 4: Tough as Nails

Following the fateful encounter with her mother, Jessica McDonald runs away from home. Soon, her grades flounder, leaving her ineligible for Division I athletics at all. McDonald's road to Chapel Hill detours through a nearby junior college in Phoenix, where she improves her GPA — and rewrites the …