With Lisa Baird having resigned as NWSL commissioner last Friday, attention among players is now turning to the Portland Thorns organization and their role in the Paul Riley scandal. 

The North Carolina Courage fired Riley on Thursday, hours after a report in The Athletic detailed allegations of sexual coercion and emotional abuse against him.

On Thursday night, after Riley had been fired but before Baird resigned on Friday afternoon, a majority of NWSL players participated in a call to discuss The Athletic’s report, the situation within the league and whether they would play in the weekend’s games. (Players eventually asked the league to postpone the weekend’s slate of games, which they did.) 

Sources tell Just Women’s Sports that several players on the call said they wanted Portland Thorns GM Gavin Wilkinson to be fired, with some even arguing that owner Merritt Paulson should sell the team. Players were particularly upset with the fact that no Thorns employee had lost their job over the scandal, despite the organization having admitted to covering up the details of Riley’s 2015 dismissal. 

Thorns players refrained from voicing an opinion on the matter, according to sources.

Sources also tell Just Women’s Sports that while several players on the call voiced the opinion that Baird should resign, there was no consensus coming out of the meeting, and Baird’s eventual resignation was not a result of pressure from either individual players or the Players Association.

Riley served as the Thorns coach from 2014 to 2015, after which his contract was not renewed by the team. At the time, the Thorns only said that Riley would not be retained as the team’s head coach for the 2016 season.

“On behalf of Thorns FC, I would like to thank Paul for his services to the club these past two seasons,” Wilkinson said then.

“Thanks to everyone at the Thorns for the amazing opportunity and to the fans who truly make Portland Soccer City, USA,” said Riley in the same release.

Public perception was that Riley’s contract had simply not been renewed due to poor on-field performance in 2015. Last week, however, the Thorns told The Athletic that Riley’s contract had not been renewed due to an internal investigation into sexual harassment. 

Mana Shim, who played for the Thorns from 2013-2017, told The Athletic that she’d reported Riley’s behavior to the Thorns, who then conducted an internal investigation. According to a statement released last Thursday, the Thorns’ investigation did not uncover “unlawful activity,” but the organization did find “clear violations of our company policies.” 

pic.twitter.com/2Cag3yJxsq

— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) September 30, 2021

“Based on this, we chose to sever ties with Riley,” the Thorns said. 

The findings of the club’s investigation were also shared with the NWSL at the time. 

On Monday, Thorns owner Merritt Paulson released a statement which acknowledged that the organization had made a mistake in not being forthright about Riley’s departure. 

“Within hours of receiving a complaint against our then coach six years ago from Mana – the first and only we have ever received from anyone – we: (1) placed Coach Riley on immediate suspension; (2) conducted an investigation of the claims that, within a matter of days, led to his termination; and (3) shared everything we learned in the investigation with the NWSL.

“But we then made an opaque announcement about not renewing Riley’s contract as opposed to explicitly announcing his termination, guided by what we, at the time, thought was the right thing to do out of respect for player privacy.”

Paulson’s statement is the first time the Thorns have said they terminated Riley, days after telling The Athletic the club chose not to renew his contract.

“I deeply regret our role in what is clearly a systemic failure across women’s professional soccer,” Paulson wrote. 

Merritt sure didn't seem to have a ton of hard feelings for Paul Riley, even after a team investigation alleging abusive behavior found violations of team policy #SellTheThornsMerritt #BAONPDX #NWSL pic.twitter.com/yhJ8oyJtP3

— #GWOUT #SellTheThornsMerritt (@PortlandStems) September 30, 2021

While Paulson may be apologizing, the fact that no member of the Thorns organization has either resigned or been fired in the wake of last Thursday’s report has rankled players within the NWSL. The lack of clarity in the Thorns’ subsequent statements has done little to quell the matter, and sources tell Just Women’s Sports that public calls for Wilkinson’s dismissal may be coming this week. 

On Sunday, the NWSL announced the formation of an executive committee to manage oversight of the league’s front office operations following Baird’s resignation. This committee will oversee the launch of multiple investigative and reform initiatives aimed at protecting NWSL players and staff. 

The league has retained Covington & Burling to oversee these investigations, led by Amanda Kramer, former Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. 

Before those investigations begin, however, the players may have their own recommendations, particularly for the Thorns.

John Murray is the Editor-in-Chief of Just Women’s Sports. You can find him on Twitter @heymynameisjohn. 

The first time Washington Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune experienced an NWSL playoff game at DC's "Rowdy Audi" Field, it was from the sidelines. The promising young star had experienced a major setback, injuring her MCL while throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at nearby Nationals Park — just weeks after winning Olympic gold with the USWNT. "

"Sitting in the stands watching the game wasn't ideal," she told JWS this week. "But it was still very fun and very cool, just to have that whole experience, seeing Audi full and rowdy and the fans just very excited."

Bethune's changing fortunes — she'd go on to win both 2024 Rookie of the Year and Midfielder of the Year despite her late-August season-ending injury — underlined a 2024 season of extremes for the Spirit. Washington finished second in the NWSL standings, entering the postseason confident before ultimately ceding the championship game to Shield-winners Orlando.

This year, the club is hoping to finish the job, once again locked into second place and hunting the franchise's second NWSL title. And for Bethune and her teammates, the sense of deja vu is palpable.

The Spirit emerges from a season of constant change

The Spirit underwent their second midseason coaching change in two years this past June, when manager Jonatan Giraldez left to take over fellow Michele Kang-owned club, France's OL Lyonnes. Adrián González — last season's interim coach — reclaimed the team's top leadership role, guiding the Spirit to their second straight No. 2 finish in a surprising show of consistency for a club undergoing significant change.

"Things happen, not everything is permanent," Bethune said plainly, commenting on the staffing changes "I learned this in my college recruiting process: You don't pick a school for the coach, because the coach can always move."

And while Washington added significant depth over the course of 2025 — namely bringing on international standouts like Italy's Sofia Cantore and Nigeria's Gift Monday — the roster has struggled to overcome lingering injuries and absences. Bethune officially returned to play in April, registering two goals and two assists through 20 regular-season games, but overall availability has continued to plague the squad despite the training staff's best efforts.

Captain Andi Sullivan and starting outside back Casey Krueger are currently both on maternity leave. And superstar Trinity Rodman remains questionable after a freak knock to the knee in late October — two months after originally returning from a lengthy back injury.

Bethune misses NWSL Decision Day as injury issues take a toll

Last Sunday's Decision Day loss to the eliminated Utah Royals saw even more attrition, with impact players Leicy Santos, Gift Monday, and Rose Kouassi all left off the gameday roster. Even Bethune missed Sunday's regular-season finale with a thigh injury, though she's now listed as available after training alongside club medical staff this week.

This is when experience facing adversity comes in handy for the 24-year-old. "When I'm playing, I feel like I can see everything, but when you're not playing, you can really see everything," she said, stressing the perspective she's gained from sitting on the sidelines. "Just seeing how the game should flow, or how it is flowing."

Bethune has also learned to avoid pushing her body too hard if she's not feeling 100%, a mantra that can be both frustrating and, at times, liberating.

"I feel like, over the years, I've done very well at understanding when my body is telling me something, and listening to that," she said.

Returning from injury is difficult for any player, but particularly for those as creative on the pitch as Bethune. Known for confidence on the ball, audacious passing vision in the midfield, and the ability to turn towards goal herself if she senses weakness, the Georgia grad became a household name last year thanks to a free-wheeling partnership with fellow USWNT standout Rodman.

It took some time for Bethune to re-find her footing this season, learning how to not overthink exactly what makes her such a special player.

"Feeling like myself is just feeling like Croix Bethune," she said. "Doing what I do — momentum, rhythm, cheekiness, just feeling smooth and calm in the game."

Bethune looks to lean on Spirit culture ahead of quarterfinal test

Shaky availability — and the related threat of yet again falling short of the NWSL title — still looms over the Spirit as they head into this weekend's quarterfinal matchup against an extra-motivated Racing Louisville. But Bethune thinks the Spirit can lean on their depth for that creative spark, as injured players inch closer to a healthy return with every passing day.

"We're big on our culture," she explained. "The culture that we have off the field, within the team, is very strong. And when we incorporate the staff and the coaches, we're all on the same page."

Even without a full-strength roster, the Spirit have shown an ability to bend without breaking, riding the ups and downs of a topsy-turvy season without slipping from the league's top ranks. And that level of togetherness can be difficult to derail.

"Versatility, being close — we have a lot of options," Bethune said of her team's postseason strategy. "We have a lot of people that can play a lot of different positions."

"Once we get that rhythm," she added, "it's pretty scary for the defense."

The two newest PWHL teams are re-introducing themselves this week, as the third-year league officially revealed the team names and branding for 2025/26 expansion sides Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes on Thursday.

"The Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes are bold, distinctive, and true to who we are as a league," PWHL EVP of business operations Amy Scheer said in a league statement. "Each team identity is deeply connected to its home — Seattle draws inspiration from the waterways that shape its landscape, and Vancouver from its abundance of unique wildlife."

While the Torrent's letter "S" evokes Seattle's waterways, Vancouver's branding utilizes a local city bird — the "fiercely protective Common Goldeneye" — for "its speed, strength, and precision in flight."

"The Goldeneyes name is powerful, bold, and tough," said Vancouver forward and local product Jenn Gardiner. "This identity is a perfect reflection of who we are, where we come from, and that we will be relentless to play against every single night."

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While the PWHL always planned to unveil the expansion sides' individual identities ahead of the 2025/26 season, both teams will still follow suit from the league's inaugural year by sporting generic PWHL branding throughout their debut campaigns.

In what Scheer calls "the start of an incredible Pacific Northwest rivalry," both the visiting Seattle Torrent and host Vancouver Goldeneyes will make their PWHL debuts against each other when the puck drops on the league's third season on Friday, November 21st.

How to purchase Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes merch

While the Torrent and Goldeneyes will don generic jerseys this season, fully branded merchandise for the 2025/26 PWHL expansion teams hit the league's online shop for fans to purchase on Thursday.

New offseason league Project B is raising more than eyebrows, with the international upstart reportedly far exceeding WNBA salaries as it builds out its pro women's basketball roster ahead of a planned 2026 debut.

According to Front Office Sports (FOS), Project B is offering athletes like inaugural signee Nneka Ogwumike multimillion dollar salaries, with indications that multi-year deals could see paydays reach upwards of eight figures.

Project B also gave the Seattle Storm star equity in the venture, putting WNBA stakeholders on edge as CBA negotiations continue to simmer Stateside.

Sources also reportedly told FOS that the budding league has already signed additional WNBA players.

While the winter league's F1-style tournament structure doesn't directly compete with the WNBA calendar, history shows that players will sometimes de-prioritized domestic league play if offered enough money to compete overseas.

One of the most notable instances of this occurred when now-retired superstar Diana Taurasi sat out the entire 2015 WNBA season after top EuroLeague side UMMC Ekaterinburg paid her $1.5 million to forgo that summer's competition.

Other offseason leagues are also making financial inroads that supersede the WNBA's current salary offerings, with 54 WNBA players set to take the Unrivaled 3×3 court in the winter league's 2026 season in January — including equity-holder Paige Bueckers.

Even more, big names like four-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson, 2024 Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark, 2024 champion Sabrina Ionescu, and two-time All-Star Angel Reese opted out of joining the 2026 Unrivaled season, leaving some speculating that seven-figure deals could see those stars instead eyeing a jump to Project B.

Ultimately, the reports of additional options for lucrative offseason contracts only increases the drama surrounding the US league's ongoing CBA negotiations, putting even more pressure on the WNBA to offer an attractive financial agreement to its athletes.

Despite missing the 2025/26 NCAA basketball season due to injury, USC superstar JuJu Watkins is staying busy, with the junior guard buying into 2026 NWSL expansion side Boston Legacy FC's investment group this week.

Besides padding her portfolio, the move also sees Watkins make history as the first-ever NCAA athlete to actively invest in a professional women's sports franchise.

"Boston Legacy FC is creating a space for women to achieve, lead, and inspire others at the highest level," Watkins said in a Thursday club press release. "I'm proud to be part of the movement pushing women's sports forward."

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The 20-year-old reigning Naismith Player of the Year now joins a Boston Legacy investment core that includes the likes of Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston and Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams as well as three-time Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Aly Raisman and actor Elizabeth Banks.

"JuJu's investment marks a groundbreaking moment for women's sports and the power of NIL," said Legacy owner Jennifer Epstein. "She's showing that today's student-athletes aren't just building their own brands — they're shaping the future of the game."

How to become a part of Boston Legacy FC history

Fans looking to take part in NWSL history can snag seats to the first-ever Boston Legacy match at 12:30 PM ET on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

Tickets to the expansion club's debut are currently on sale at BostonLegacyFC.com.