The National Women’s Soccer League faces a challenge with star player Trinity Rodman. Commissioner Jessica Berman supports her but recently rejected a contract offer.
Jessica Berman, the NWSL commissioner, has publicly stated her wish to keep Trinity Rodman playing in the league. Before the recent championship, she emphasized the importance of retaining top players like Rodman in the NWSL. Despite this, the league rejected a proposed four-year contract that would have kept Rodman with the Washington Spirit.
The NWSL said the proposed contract broke league rules and could give the Spirit an unfair advantage. The Players’ Association filed a grievance on Rodman’s behalf, arguing the deal was allowed under the collective bargaining agreement and within the salary cap. The league has not detailed which rules were violated.
At 23 years old, Rodman has attracted offers from European clubs and other U.S. teams. Her agent noted these offers provide more value than the rejected Spirit contract. Rodman has not made a public statement but is reportedly disappointed by the situation.
The NWSL has struggled to keep top players, many of whom have moved to Europe. Rodman wanted to stay in the league, but the contract dispute may influence future player deals and free agency rules.
The NWSL aims to keep Rodman to boost the league’s popularity and revenue. However, the current salary cap, set at about 3.3 million USD (approximately 3 million EUR) for 2025, limits how much teams can pay players. The league hopes future media deals will increase this cap, allowing better contracts.
