Jessica Berman Renews Contract as NWSL Commissioner
Reliable sources have confirmed that Jessica Berman will extend her contract as commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). The agreement, according to sources, has a duration of three years, which would extend her term until the 2028 season. Berman’s original contract was scheduled to expire in the coming months. When asked for comment, a spokesperson for the NWSL declined to comment.The renewal of Berman’s contract has been the subject of negotiations for months. It is known that the board of directors did not have a unanimous opinion on how to proceed. The four-person executive committee led the process. The Berman agreement was finalized by the committee this week without a final vote by the full council. Under Berman’s leadership, the NWSL has experienced significant growth in its commercial business. This includes a $240 million media rights deal, the continued expansion of the league, and the increase in the value of the teams, which have gone from around $5 million to over $250 million in a few years. The league office has also expanded, attracting major sponsors. In addition, the league ratified a new collective bargaining agreement last year and has implemented reforms to improve player safety, following an abuse scandal that preceded Berman and forced the resignation of her predecessor, Lisa Baird, in 2021. These commercial advances have gained the support of many owners, who have seen how the value of their teams and the league have appreciated rapidly. However, several sources have expressed concern about the league’s direction and its future ability to compete with growing global competition. Elite European teams are paying the world’s best players more than the NWSL can offer due to salary cap limitations, which is fixed until 2030 according to the new collective bargaining agreement. Berman’s handling of several recent high-profile controversies has also come under scrutiny from league sources. In May, a match continued after Angel City FC defender Savy King collapsed on the field and received treatment for more than 10 minutes before being taken to the hospital, where doctors ultimately discovered a cardiac anomaly. The NWSL was heavily criticized and eventually admitted that the game should not have continued, and that any similar future event would lead to the suspension of the game. When Racing Louisville midfielder Savannah DeMelo collapsed on the field in September, the game was suspended. In August, Berman allegedly threatened the owners of the Kansas City Current after a disagreement over heat policies. A match in Kansas City was delayed for more than three hours due to the extreme heat. The delay was long enough that the NWSL lost a primetime national television schedule, which is why Berman wanted the game to continue. Several sources reported that some board members also expressed concern over the summer that any leadership change could disrupt the league’s progress and create an image of instability, especially as the league begins to negotiate new media rights deals soon. Berman took over as commissioner before the 2022 NWSL season, when the league was in crisis over alleged abuse of players by coaches and staff. Baird resigned in October 2021 under intense pressure for her handling of the scandal, and Marla Messing served as interim chief executive until Berman began as commissioner in the spring of 2022. Before becoming NWSL commissioner, Berman was deputy commissioner and executive vice president of business affairs for the National Lacrosse League. Before that, Berman spent 13 years in various roles in the NHL. His work in and around the NHL, first as outside counsel, included conversations about the collective bargaining agreement and the end of a labor lockout that canceled the 2004-05 NHL season. Berman’s new contract includes a financial incentive tied to the results of the upcoming league negotiations on broadcasting rights.My intention is to stay here. I joined this league because I believe in the future of women’s sports and professional women’s soccer, and that’s all I can say.
Jessica Berman
