NWSL GMs Say Player Empowerment Has ‘Gone Too Far’

The NWSL has faced quite a few abuse and sexual misconduct allegations since its inception, which reached a breaking point in 2022 after former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates published a report stating the league “failed to protect its players.”

The new collective bargaining agreement between the NWSL and NWSL Players Association includes more reforms, such as training programs for staffers. But an anonymous survey conducted by ESPN reveals all 14 NWSL general managers believe the culture changes have skewed too far to the side of the players.

“There’s a fear amongst staff about what you can say, what you can’t say, what you have to ask players’ permission for, what you don’t, if you’re going to get in trouble for this,” one GM told ESPN. “And that means, to me, it’s gone too far.”

General managers said there is concern among staffers about holding private meetings, even if it is to discuss soccer-related matters. The league is acknowledging the concerns of team front offices and aiming to provide resources to help define how to differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate behavior.

NWSLPA chief Meghann Burke told ESPN there is no evidence players have gained too much power amid the clear cultural changes.

“It is disingenuous to simultaneously agree that the league has been completely transformed and we’ve created a healthier, better work environment and culture, and to simultaneously claim that players have too much power, because you can’t have one without the other,” Burke said.

A Rosy Exterior

The in-house fissures in the NWSL have stained an otherwise historic season. The new CBA includes the abolishment of the draft that commissioner Jessica Berman called a move to “align with global standards.” The league’s model is akin to the European soccer model, though the NWSL is widely considered the best women’s professional soccer league in the world.

Last week, the NWSL set a record for total attendance in a season, passing the previous mark of 1.4 million. Should it maintain its average of close to 12,000 fans per game for the rest of the season, it would surpass the milestone of two million by the end of the year.

Valuations for NWSL teams continue to skyrocket, highlighted by the July sale of Angel City FC to Disney CEO Bob Iger and his wife, Willow Bay, for $250 million. That figure more than doubled the previous record sale of $120 million for the San Diego Wave in March.