Gotham FC’s Maitane Lopez Millan #77 defends against OL Reign’s Jordyn Huitema 9 during the NWSL Cup final between Gotham City FC and OL Reign at Snapdragon Stadium on November 11, 2023 in San Diego, CA, NJ/NY Fighting for the ball.
Michael Janos | ISI Photos | Getty Images
The National Women’s Soccer League and the NWSL Players Association have agreed to cancel the draft and make free agency available to all players – an unprecedented move among major American professional sports.
as a new collective bargaining agreementBy extending the current deal until 2030, the parties seek to give players more control over where they play, which could help recruit athletes who can join top clubs around the world.
“Unlike many other sports, we compete for talent in a global labor market,” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman told CNBC. “So if we want to attract, retain and develop the best players in the world, we believe that, “We will be in the best position if we remove artificial barriers and put ourselves on a level playing field with the rest of the world.”
The new CBA announced Thursday will also increase the league’s minimum wage from $48,500 in 2025 to $82,500 in 2030. $5.1 million per year.
The CBA also allows for salary cap increases in future seasons as part of the league’s revenue-sharing model, in which players can benefit from additional sponsorship and media deals.
“We want them to be involved,” Berman said. “We want them to know that they, too, will benefit from this growth.”
Recent surges in attendance, ratings and team valuations highlight the NWSL’s growth.
Last month, Disney CEO Bob Iger and journalist Willow Bay acquired a controlling stake in Angel City FC in a deal that valued the team at for $250 million, making it the most valuable women’s sports team in the world.
In November, the league signed a four-year media deal worth $240 million, 40 times more than the previous deal.
Berman said that given the recent boom in women’s soccer, the NWSL chose to renegotiate the CBA with the NWSL Players Association two years in advance to give future investors and other partners a clearer picture of the future of the business model.
“We actually think it’s important to be proactive in engaging with unions and really extending the duration of our labor agreements so that as we build the business from an ownership investment perspective, from a sponsor investment perspective, from a media investment perspective, No worries about workforce disruption or distraction for the foreseeable future,” Berman said. “We believe this next phase of growth will unlock significant investment and resources.”
About The Author
