2024 CBA FACT SHEET

FACT SHEET: 

NWSLPA Announces New CBA, Players Secure Freedom Over Their Careers

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The National Women’s Soccer League Players Association (NWSLPA) is the labor union that advocates for and protects the rights of professional women’s soccer Players in the NWSL. In 2022, the NWSLPA ratified the first-ever Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) in domestic women’s professional soccer in the United States. Today, the NWSLPA announces that Players have secured freedom over their careers in a groundbreaking new CBA that eliminates the draft, secures free agency for all, ends trades without Player consent, establishes guaranteed contracts for all, safeguards Player health through workload management, and institutes revenue sharing. Notably, the terms negotiated by the NWSLPA will establish the NWSL as the first American major pro sports league to abolish the draft.

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Since last September, the Players Association has been in confidential negotiations with NWSL to negotiate an extension of the current CBA under new terms. The NWSL invited the NWSLPA to engage in midterm, voluntary negotiations, an opportunity the Players seized upon to fight for rights that the NWSLPA laid the foundation for in the CBA ratified in 2022. 

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Negotiations took place from September 2023 through July 2024, with the final sessions held in-person in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 8-11, 2024. The Players Association was represented at final, in-person negotiations by:
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• Tori Huster, President, NWSLPA

• Meghann Burke, Executive Director, NWSLPA

• Nicole Barnhart, Secretary, NWSLPA and Bargaining Committee Member

• Brianna Pinto, Bargaining Committee Member and Player Representative (NC)

• Ashley Hatch, Bargaining Committee Member and Player Representative (WAS)

• Dani Weatherholt, Bargaining Committee Member (NCC)

• Haley Hopkins, Bargaining Committee Member and Player Representative (NC)

• Deborah Willig, Labor Counsel

• Jessica Caggiano, Labor Counsel 

• Dr. Beth Paulin, Economist, NWSLPA

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The remaining NWSLPA’s Bargaining Committee attended these and other bargaining sessions remotely, including during the in-person negotiations that took place during their midseason vacation. The full list of Players who served on the Bargaining Committee are:

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• Kerry Abello (ORL)

• Olivia Athens (SEA)

• Nicole Barnhart (WAS)

• Michelle Betos (GFC)

• Bella Bixby (POR)

• Jane Campbell (HOU)

• Simone Charley (ORL)

• Makenzy Doniak (SD)

• Imani Dorsey (UTA)

• Caprice Dydasco (BAY)

• Elizabeth Eddy (LA)

• AD Franch (KC)

• Shea Groom (CHI)

• Madison Hammond (LA)

• Ashley Hatch (WAS)

• Sophie Hirst (HOU)

• Shelby Hogan (POR)

• Haley Hopkins (NC)

• Aubrey Kingsbury (WAS)

• Kaleigh Kurtz (NC)

• Veronica Latsko (SEA)

• Katie Lind (HOU)

• Katie Lund (LOU)

• Merritt Mathias (LA)

• Haley McCutcheon (ORL)

• Emily Menges (BAY)

• Addisyn Merrick (UTA)

• Lauren Milliet (LOU)

• Alex Morgan (SD)

• Alyssa Naeher (CHI)

• Brianna Pinto (NC)

• Maddie Pogarch (UTA)

• Megan Reid (LA)

• Katelyn Rowland (BAY)

• Abby Smith (GFC)

• Merry Speck (NC)

• Nikki Stanton (SEA)

• Michele Vasconcelos (UTA)

• Dani Weatherholt (NC)

• Mallory Weber (KC)

• Christen Westphal (SD)

• Arin Wright (LOU)

• McCall Zerboni (GFC)

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Additionally, the NWSLPA was represented and supported throughout negotiations by NWSLPA staff and team members including:

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• Sydney Miramontez, Commercial Manager

• Kelsey Davis, Player Affairs Manager

• Kelis Barton, Social Media

• Jonna Humphries-Valente, Communications

• Lyana Steele, Legal Intern

 

The league was represented throughout negotiations by:​

 

• Jessica Berman, Commissioner, NWSL

• Aly Wagner, Owner, Bay FC

• Laura Ricketts, Owner, Chicago Red Stars

• Angie Long, Owner, Kansas City Current

• Bill Ordower, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Office, NWSL

• Lacey Mencl, Legal Counsel, NWSL

• Steph Lee, Director of Player Affairs, NWSL

• Meg Sullivan, Vice President of Finance & Administration, NWSL

• Tatjana Haenni, Chief Sporting Director, NWSL

• Carlin Hudson, Senior Director of Strategy, NWSL

• Tanja Thompson, Office Managing Shareholder (Littler Mendelson P.C.)

• Ashley Beth, Associate Legal Counsel, NWSL

The new CBA will be in place through 2030. Recognizing the exponential growth of the NWSL in recent years, in addition to securing revenue sharing, the Players Association negotiated for a performance-based reopener trigger that protects the Players’ rights to share in the league’s future revenue growth.

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The terms of the new CBA reflect the next phase of the rebirth of American women’s soccer. The first phase occurred with the simultaneous ratification of the first CBA in 2022, which secured Players’ rights and elevated professional standards, and the launch of an unprecedented joint investigation, which resulted in a safer and more professional work environment. This next phase empowers Players with freedom of choice over their career, elevates the professional standard of their work environment, and more closely aligns incentives so that Players participate in the NWSL’s economic growth. 

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This deal is the first of its kind in American professional sports and another step towards creating a more equitable League. 

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Highlights include:

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• Elimination of the Draft: The entry draft is eliminated immediately. The expansion draft is abolished immediately. The draft is an antiquated model that treats people as property to be bought and sold. The new terms will empower Players to decide which team environment is the best fit for their needs and their development. 

• Free Agency for All: All NWSL Players will become Free Agents when their current contracts expire. By establishing free agency for all Players, the NWSL aligns itself with the rest of the world. Free agency results in fairness of contracts, with Teams and Players mutually agreeing to enter into a contractual relationship on even terms. 

• Guaranteed Contracts: Every contract will be guaranteed. Guaranteed contracts generally prevent the league from terminating Player contracts prior to the end of their term, except in limited circumstances. This respects the mutuality and risk of contracts. It also protects Players in the event of circumstances beyond their control, such as a latent health condition.

• No Trades Without Player Consent: Players cannot be traded without their consent. This protects Players from being traded against their will and without knowing it in advance.

• Workload Management: As the league grows, the demands on Players will increase. The new CBA addresses game frequency, travel conditions, and time off. Minimum standards for charter flights are established in this new CBA, including entitling teams to 6 legs (3 round trips) as a matter of right and a requirement that Teams charter for certain midweek games. Players are assured of the midseason break and a minimum of 28 days off during the offseason. 

• Revenue Sharing: For the first time, a collectively bargained salary cap will be tied to revenue sharing on top of a guaranteed minimum base salary cap. Shareable revenues from NWSL’s prior year sponsorship and media rights agreements will be added to the Team Salary Cap. Teams will be held to a “Minimum Spend” to ensure that Shareable Revenues are spent on Player compensation. The NWSLPA also secured audit rights to ensure compliance with this provision. 

  • The base salary cap each year will be: 

    • ​2025: $3.3 million

    • 2026: $3.5 million

    • 2027: $4.4 million

    • 2028: $4.7 million

    • 2029: $4.9 million

    • 2030: $5.1 million

  • ​Prior year NWSL media and sponsorship shareable revenues will add at least $200,000 to the base salary cap each year. 

For further information on the terms of the new deal contact press@nwslPlayers.com.