NWSL, Union Agree To ‘Historic’ First CBA, $100M Investment, Focus On Health
Monday, January 31, 2022 at 09:03PM By Barry Janoff
January 31, 2022: Following a challenging, disruptive and ultimately successful 2021 season, the National Women’s Soccer League is entering its milestone 10th anniversary campaign with new goals, plans and a "historic" Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The NWSL said the league and the NWSL Players Assn. have agreed to their first CBA, covering the next five seasons through 2026.
NWSL owners are projected to commit an incremental investment of “nearly $100 million over the term of the CBA.”
According to the league and Players Assn., “The deal signals the collective commitment of owners and players to work in partnership as the NWSL continues its rapid growth.”
The agreement is subject to final approval from the NWSL Board of Governors. (Editor's Note: The Board of Govenors approved the CBA on Feb. 1.)
“This is a historic moment for women’s soccer in the United States,” Marla Messing, NWSL interim CEO, said via the league, which was founded in 2012 and began play in 2013.
“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.”
Under terms of the CBA, the NWSL will “increase investment in player salaries, raising the minimum salary by almost 60% year-over-year to $35,000 and implementing salary increases for all players, total compensation, including salary, free housing, transportation, fully-vested 401(k) contributions, health, life and disability insurance, among other material benefits, raising the average total compensation by more than 30% to $54,000 compared to the 2021 season.”
The CBA also includes a “defined season, vacation time and other leave such as parental leave for new birth or adoptive parents, leave and salary continuation for pregnant players, and mental health leave for players who need it for up to six months.”
Improved health and wellness benefits indicate “all teams will provide the services of, at minimum, a team physician, massage therapist, sports scientist, sports psychologist, and team clinician to provide mental health services. The league will employ a physician as its Medical Director.”
The league will introduce free agency beginning in 2023.
In addition, of importance under the CBA, there will be “increases in the numbers of and amounts of player bonuses, compensation to players for certain promotional and commercial appearances and revenue sharing, introducing the opportunity for players to receive 10% of the net broadcast revenues, if the league is profitable in years 3, 4 and 5 of the CBA.”
Enhanced group license provisions, under which the NWSL “will commit $255,000-$300,000 per year for group license rights,” are also part of the pact.
According to Messing, “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.”
This past season, even as the NWSL was attracting more marketing partners and fans nationwide, Washington Spirit head coach Richie Burke was reassigned and then had his contract terminated, was banned from working with any NWSL players — and the club itself hit with sanctions by league officials — due to allegations of verbal and emotional abuse against players.
“The deal signals the collective commitment of owners and players to work in partnership as the NWSL continues its rapid growth.”
The burgeoning situation this past season also saw the contract of North Carolina Courage head coach Paul Riley terminated, other head coaches and executives face abuse allegations, commissioner Lisa Baird resign and league general counsel Lisa Levine dismissed.
Messing was appointed interim CEO on Oct. 18 after Baird resigned.
The allegations came as the NWSL and Nike were signing was was called the “most substantial agreement in NWSL history,” a partnership extension that “represents Nike’s significant commitment to the sport, the NWSL and its players and clubs.”
The NWSL also this past season signed marketing deals including MasterCard, Ally Financial and Nationwide.
Official sponsors also include Anheuser-Busch (Budweiser), Deloitte, Verizon and Voyager.
Media partners include CBS, Twitch and iHeart Radio.
NWSL Faces More Abuse Allegations Among Marketing, Media, Fan Growth
In Wake of Scandal, NWSLPA Says League 'Meeting All Demands’
NWSL Names Sports Exec Marla Messing As Interim CEO
NWSL Commissioner Resigns; USSF, FIFA Plan To Investigate Allegations
NWSL Investigation: Washington Head Coach Banned, Club Sanctioned
Back to Home Page