SAN JOSE, Calif. — The NWSL won’t let Trinity Rodman go without a fight.
Commissioner Jessica Berman, speaking Thursday ahead of the league’s championship match on Saturday, acknowledged that the possible pending exit of the Washington Spirit star is a major focus.
“Specifically as it relates to Trinity, and candidly any top player in the world, we want those top players here in the NWSL, and particularly we want Trinity in the NWSL,” Berman said. “We will fight for her.”
Rodman, a star striker for the U.S. women’s national team, is preparing to play for the Spirit in the title match against Gotham FC. She reportedly has drawn interest from other leagues, a concern for the NWSL considering the league recently lost two other USWNT stars, Alyssa Thompson and Naomi Girma, to Chelsea of the Women’s Super League in England.
Rodman said of Berman’s remarks, “Obviously I’m honored to have her say that. So obviously just really happy about that. But at the same time, like, I don’t want to put that pressure on myself of like, because she said that now, I’m like, ‘Oh, shoot, like, I’m trapped.’
“… I’m focused on this weekend and that’s really all I can focus on. And then moving forward, then that’s when I really have those conversations and tough calls that I need to have.”
Berman acknowledged getting involved personally in negotiations with Rodman’s camp.
“The relationships that I have with players around the league is critically important to my success and the success of the NWSL,” she said. “There have been countless conversations over the past years where I’ve spent time with players directly and/or their agents about their future and what they’re looking for.”
Berman touted the NWSL’s efforts to retain and attract top talent.
“We really believe there is a holistic picture that players evaluate, and the reason we believe this is because we hear it from players in our league and around the world,” Berman said. “(Players) tell me that, yes, compensation matters, but they also think about compensation not just from the perspective of what their club is paying them but also from the league’s perspective.
“We … might be the only league that pays players for performance, so there is that component. We also know that the market here in the U.S. has more interest in supporting female athletes and women’s sports than any other market in the world.”
She added that players also evaluate what she calls “the three C’s” — competition, club and coaching.
“If you are a player who wants to be performing at your best and wants to be valued and supported and wants to train in a best-in-class environment with a best-in-class league, then the NWSL is for you,” Berman said.
Regarding whether the salary cap could be boosted beyond the latest hike to $3.5 million per team, Berman said, “We do not believe that the NWSL is a charity. We believe it is a business. And in order to treat it like a business, it means that the amount that our teams are investing has to have a rational relationship to revenue.”
On other NWSL topics:
–Berman said of the NWSL bringing the championship game to the San Jose, “We … were extremely excited about being the first of the trifecta of major events coming to the Bay Area.”
The Super Bowl will be played next February in Santa Clara, which also will host matches in the men’s World Cup next summer.
–Berman is optimistic that the expansion Boston Legacy and Denver Summit will be ready for the start of their initial seasons next year despite local obstacles regarding their facilities.
–The NWSL confirmed a multiyear contract extension for Berman. No details of the deal were revealed.
“It’s been the honor of my career to lead the NWSL during such an extraordinary period of growth,” Berman said.
–Rick Kaplan, Field Level Media
