The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and its player association ratified the league’s first ever CBA late last night. The deal, the first of its kind in North American professional women’s soccer, avoids a player strike which was set to begin this week ahead of the pre-season if the two sides weren’t able to come to an agreement. The new CBA will come into effect immediately and will run through the 2026 campaign.
Interim CEO Marla Messing stated “This is a historic moment for women’s soccer in the United States. This transformative agreement represents deserved advancements for our players, including significantly stronger compensation packages and benefits, enhanced training and playing environments, and a long-term commitment to continually improve the standards we all regard as essential to securing our position as the best women’s soccer league in the world. Our owners are committed to providing the significant and unprecedented investment required to build and sustain a professional women’s soccer league that properly supports our players, both as professional soccer players and as individuals. We thank the NWSLPA leadership and the players for their thoughtful approach on the CBA and look forward to continuing to collaborate with them to create the best environment for our players to succeed.”
Amongst the finer points of the new CBA include the creation of free agency, and increased salaries for players. Highlights include:
-Minimum $35K player salaries
-Revenue sharing, including 10% of the net broadcast revenues if the league is profitable in years 3, 4, and 5 of the CBA.
-Bonuses, 401(k) contributions, housing, and healthcare plans for players
-Introduction of free agency in 2023
-Parental leave, pregnancy leave with salary continuation, and mental health leave for players
-And a defined season, and vacation time between league/international commitments
Commenting on behalf of the ownership group, Gotham FC owner Ed Nalbandian said “This historic agreement formalizes a partnership between owners, front offices and players that is absolutely critical for our league’s long-term growth and success…I want to thank the players and NWSLPA Executive Director Meghann Burke for the partnership they’ve exhibited in negotiating an agreement that prioritizes player safety, club accountability, and the financial well-being of our players and league. We’re all in this together, and I want to thank my fellow owners for committing the resources that our players so richly deserve. I also want to thank our representatives at the negotiating table, namely Brad Estes, John Walker, and Gotham FC’s own Yael Averbuch, whose expertise and unique perspective proved invaluable.”
News of the announcement marks a decidedly brighter future for the league which had been plagued by numerous off field incidents and allegations of misconduct from coaches, and other team officials. The tumultuous 2021 season saw numerous national team members speak out against the league and its previous management group for creating a toxic work environment which didn’t value its players.
With the new CBA now in place, players are expected to report for their pre-season training camps over the next few days. The 10th NWSL season officially kicks off with the Challenge Cup on March 19th.