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NWSL players strike: How we got here and what it would mean

(Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

With NWSL preseason rapidly approaching, all eyes have turned to the conflict between team owners and the Players Association toward ratifying the league’s first collective bargaining agreement. Negotiations began during former commissioner Lisa Baird’s tenure, but have ebbed and flowed in their productivity over the course of 2021.

Now, it appears that time might be running out before players have to make a choice about whether to report to preseason on Feb. 1. As originally reported by The Athletic’s Meg Linehan, a work stoppage is on the table if an agreement isn’t reached in time.

So, how did the NWSL get to this point? And what are the issues at hand? Let’s break it down.

How the NWSL got here

Now in its tenth year, the NWSL has never operated under a ratified CBA. Motion toward getting a deal done began in 2017, when the NWSLPA formed as a way to represent all league players. Originally headed by active players, the PA last April appointed executive director Meghann Burke to succeed former President Brooke Elby. Burke had served as the PA’s general counsel since its founding.

Last July, the PA introduced the “No More Side Hustles” campaign to raise awareness about the second and third jobs that NWSL players have had to adopt in order to make a living on their modest NWSL salaries. This represented the first real push toward public support in the PA’s fight for equitable treatment, firmly placing them on one side of negotiations with ownership and highlighting just how out of step the NWSL is with the rest of the sports world.

The “No More Side Hustles” campaign coincided with a rash of stories of abuse in the league, beginning with Kaiya McCullough’s experience with former Washington Spirit coach Richie Burke and reaching a new level of notoriety in a bombshell piece about former North Carolina manager Paul Riley. The way the league’s power structures let that abuse persist under their watch came under heavy scrutiny, and players became more comfortable with collective action.

The fallout from the abuse scandals led to Baird’s resignation and encouraged a sense of urgency in the negotiating room as owners realized that, in order to retain their workforce, they were going to have to make some concessions. It appears, however, that talks have hit a stumbling block, with sources telling Just Women’s Sports that progress started going south late this week.

Ironing out the details

Even as negotiations progress, the friction that appeared during the 2021 season hasn’t entirely gone away. It appears that, while the league and the PA can agree on larger philosophical ideals such as free agency, coming to terms on who qualifies for what contracts and when those privileges should kick in has been more challenging.

The two main themes of players’ wishes over the past year have been higher wages and more player-directed movement. Wages are easier to outline, but to understand what the sticking points might be in free agency without in-league precedent, it’s helpful to consider the CBAs in other leagues. For example, as part of the WNBA’s CBA ratified in early 2020, qualification for different free-agency tiers kick in depending on a player’s years of service.

Players who have competed in the WNBA for three years or fewer and receive qualifying offers from their teams are considered reserved free agents, and can only negotiate with their previous teams. Players with four years of experience are restricted free agents; they can sign anywhere, but their previously contracted team has the “right of first refusal” to match any outside offers. If a player has been in the league for over five years, they become unrestricted free agents and open to sign with any team.

It seems safe to assume owners are looking for similarly tiered measures in the NWSL’s first version of free agency. Considering the current precedent allows one team to hold a player’s rights for years, it’s not surprising that the NWSLPA and the owners might not agree on when players should be allowed to look elsewhere.

This disagreement is emblematic of the NWSL’s money allocation system, implemented in 2020. While the change promised better compensation for top-tier talent, the qualification system for higher wages proved extensive. Those stipulations included having caps on a national team, making a first or second NWSL Best XI, being selected as a No. 1 draft pick or having five years of service in the NWSL. If those kinds of barriers to higher wage opportunities already exist, it’s not hard to imagine the NWSL taking a similar approach with free-agency structures.

It’s one thing for NWSL owners unfamiliar with free agency to say that they support player-empowered movement, and another when they look at their rosters and see who they might lose over the next few years. The sides also might disagree on when the CBA should go into effect, since it will likely shake rosters up even more as teams scramble to meet new standards.

Sources also tell Just Women’s Sports that group licensing is another issue still on the negotiating table. In other sports, players associations can sign groups of athletes (in the NFL, for example, it’s six or more) to licensing contracts, giving active players rights to their name, image, likeness and more. It seems possible the league is reluctant to concede that level of authority to PA control.

Building back the relationship

Outside of the natural disagreements in contract negotiations, there is also a question of whether the NWSL Board of Governors has shown a willingness to make concessions after a year full of scandals that eroded their relationship with the player pool. Prior to reports of coaching abuses in the Washington Post and The Athletic, Burke said that no owners had been present for CBA negotiations before October. That situation had reportedly improved in the final months of the calendar year.

Players, however, haven’t felt that the Board of Governors has respected their time throughout the process, especially considering the severity of the allegations against those in power in 2021. Sources tell Just Women’s Sports that attendance among owners has been spotty, with more than one instance of over 100 players joining a call to share experiences only to find that very few league reps were present. Sources also say that personnel on the bargaining committee has changed multiple times, causing a lack of cohesion during negotiations.

When asked for comment, an NWSL spokesperson said, “Our owners are committed to continuing to invest in the league and its players. The bargaining process with the PA has been positive, is ongoing, and we hope to conclude as soon as possible.”

The nuclear option

The Players Association spent 2021 actively spreading their message to the public and leveraging support while still negotiating in good faith. At this stage, if the PA believes that ownership won’t budge on foundational issues, the final option is to refuse to report for preseason.

There is reasonable fear that the NWSL won’t be able to recover from a strike, but there are also reasons to believe this is the right moment to force the issue. If a strike is necessary for getting a deal done, there is still hope during a long preseason that it wouldn’t affect the regular season, which is set to kick off in May. The players also have to realize that public support for their cause is at an all-time high, making it difficult for ownership to gain leverage.

The other major factor in a possible work stoppage is the recent development that NWSL clubs will contract U.S. women’s national team players in 2022, allowing all U.S. stars to join the NWSLPA for the first time. For years, USWNT players have had a no-strike clause built into their own CBA, making it more challenging to take any direct action at the league level. (In fact, one such clause still exists, but it applies only to national team duties.) Should players decide that now is the time to strike in the NWSL, it will be from the top down, with mega-stars to rank-and-file players taking a unified stand.

Ultimately, both sides want to get a deal done in order to avoid putting the 2022 season in danger. But this is the players’ first big chance to radically redefine what it means to be an NWSL athlete, and they don’t want to let that opportunity fall away without a fight.

Claire Watkins is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering soccer and the NWSL. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

Wimbledon Increases Prize Money, Winner to Receive $4.07 Million

Czechia's Barbora Krejčíková celebrates a point during the 2024 Wimbledon final.
2025 Wimbledon competitors could win up to 11.1% more prize money this year. (Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images)

Wimbledon is leveling up, as the annual London-based Grand Slam announced Thursday that it's increasing its purse by 7% across the board in 2025, pushing the total prize money to £53.5 million ($72.59 million) ahead of tennis tournament's June 30th kick-off.

Both the 2025 women's and men's singles champions will earn winner's checks in the amount of £3 million ($4.07 million) — an 11.1% increase over the amount won by 2024 champ Barbora Krejčíková.

With increases across all Slam events, from singles and doubles to wheelchair competitions, even athletes who stumble early will see a raise over last year's competition.

For example, singles players ousted in this year's first round will take home 10% more than in 2024, earning deposits of £66,000 ($89,530).

The 2025 total purse now doubles the prize money offered by the tournament a decade ago, and makes Wimbledon the biggest potential payday across all four of the sport's Grand Slams.

"We're immensely proud of the fact that, if you look back 10 years, you can see the increase over that period and 7% this year," said All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club chair Deborah Jevans. "And we have listened to the players, we have engaged with the players."

Canadian Swimmer Summer McIntosh Breaks 3rd World Record in Five Days

Canadian star swimmer Summer McIntosh competes in a 2025 race.
Summer McIntosh recorded three world records in five days at the 2025 Canadian swimming trials. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Teen swimmer Summer McIntosh made a major splash at the 2025 Canadian Swimming Trials, shattering three world records in just five days of competition in Victoria, BC.

First on Saturday, the Toronto swimmer shaved 1.2 seconds off the Australian Ariarne Titmus's 400-meter freestyle mark to set a new world record time of 3:54.18.

Then on Monday, McIntosh took down a decade-old record in the 200-meter individual medley (IM), becoming the first woman swimmer to complete the race in less than 2:06.00.

Just two days later, the 18-year-old McIntosh broke her own 400-meter IM world record, besting her 2024 Canadian Olympic Trials time by 0.73 seconds with a 4:23.65 race Wednesday.

With her unstoppable week-long performance, McIntosh became the first swimmer to set three new world records in different individual events at one meet since US legend Michael Phelps's historic run at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"Going into tonight, I knew I could do something really special because this has probably been the best meet of my career," McIntosh told reporters after Wednesday's race.

That said, the young star is already eyeing new times — and new records.

"Overall, [I'm] happy with the time, but I know I can go faster," said McIntosh following her 400-meter IM performance. "The faster I swim, the happier I am."

NWSL Returns to California for 2025 Championship Weekend

View of PayPal Park during a 2025 NWSL match.
San Jose's PayPal Park will host the 2025 NWSL Championship in November. (Eakin Howard/NWSL via Getty Images)

The NWSL Championship is on its way back West, with the league announcing on Friday morning that the 2025 title match will kick off from PayPal Park in San Jose, California.

Hosted at the home pitch of 2024 expansion team Bay FC, the game will take place on Saturday, November 22nd.

In addition to the championship match, the 2025 NWSL season's final weekend will include a variety of supporting events like Fan Fest and the annual Skills Challenge competition.

"We're thrilled to bring the NWSL Championship back to the West Coast and to a region with as rich a history in women's soccer as the Bay Area," said NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman in a league statement.

Citing a long list of former USWNT stars with local ties, including Julie Foudy, Kelley O'Hara, and Alex Morgan, Bay FC co-founder Brandi Chastain — a US legend herself — called the Bay Area "the place women's soccer calls home."

"Our community's fabric is woven with the greatest the game has to offer," explained Chastain.

"This community's passion for the game, combined with the excitement surrounding one of our newest teams in Bay FC, makes it the perfect setting to celebrate the league's top talent and crown our next champion," said Berman.

How to attend and watch the 2025 NWSL Championship

Like last year, the 2025 NWSL Championship will air in primetime, with CBS set to broadcast the match live at 8 PM ET on November 22nd.

Tickets to the game will be available for purchase beginning in August, though interested fans can sign up for presale access online now.

NWSL, WNBA Player Unions Address ICE Raids, Voice Solidarity with Los Angeles

Orlando Pride players huddle before a 2025 NWSL match.
The NWSLPA and the WNBPA put out a joint statement addressing this week's ICE raids in Los Angeles. (Alex Menendez/Getty Images)

The NWSL and WNBA Players Associations teamed up to release a joint statement on Thursday, with the unions expressing their solidarity with "all people seeking safety, dignity, and opportunity" after the recent ICE raids and ensuing protests in Los Angeles.

The move comes after Angel City published their own social media post addressing the ICE raids last Saturday, with the Los Angeles NWSL club noting "We know that our city is stronger because of its diversity and the people and families who shape it, love it, and call it home."

ACFC also directed immigrants in need of assistance in the wake of the ICE raids to two community organizations: the Coalition of Humane Immigrant Rights and the LA County Office of Immigrant Affairs.

Calling the WNBA Players Association "leaders in this space," NWSL Players Association executive director Meghann Burke told The Athletic that the basketball union initiated their joint statement.

"It's important to stand together as workers' unions," she noted.

NWSL and WNBA unions speak to families impacted by ICE raids

"It's not lost on us that this country and the world are in turmoil right now," wrote the NWSLPA and WNBPA. "Across the country, families are facing fear, hardship, and uncertainty tied to immigration."

The athlete unions then crystallized their position, saying, "We stand with all people seeking safety, dignity, and opportunity, no matter where they come from or where they hope to go."

"Every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect," they continued. "We know not every situation is simple. But offering compassion should never be up for debate."

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