U.S. Soccer and the U.S. women’s national team have come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement after months of uncertainty and advocacy. The five-year deal will cover both the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2020 Olympics.
We’ve had the 2017 NWSL College Draft, the dramatic sale and relocation of the 2016 champions and the historic television deal with A&E Network. Opening weekend match-ups have also been revealed, but finally, NWSL fans have their first look at the 2017 schedule.
Here are a few key notes from the league’s press release:
Carli Lloyd just signed for a short-term stint with Manchester City. Rising star Crystal Dunn is leaving for Chelsea. And soccer rock star Alex Morgan is (temporarily) at French Club Lyon. While these might seem like isolated incidents, it's actually a pattern. More and more U.S. women's soccer stars are leaving the states, at least in the short term for Europe.
It’s been a busy, and at times hectic, offseason for the NWSL. But as a growing league, both should be expected and desired. The league courted controversy last year for substandard playing conditions, the WNY Flash vs. Seattle Reign playing on an undersized field and, as is course throughout professional sports, taking a stand in the tumultuous political situation of the country.
The signs have continued to add up for Hope Solo to miss the Seattle Reign season opener. Even with the regular season kick-off still two months away, it appears as though the team has moved on from the iconic keeper.
First, the club announced the acquisition and signing of Madalyn Schiffel from Europe. The club made moves with another NWSL club to be able to bring her in, signalling that she would, at a minimum, challenge for the starting spot.
Last Thursday the NWSL announced a landmark television deal for the young league. A partnership with A+E Networks brings them on as a major sponsor of the league in general, and puts a game of the week each Saturday afternoon on their Lifetime network. Besides landing the league on a cable network on a regular basis, the deal brings a many other improvements.
League Stability
Even with the shadow of the collective bargaining agreement hanging over the United States Women’s National Team, the 2017 NWSL season is set to be the best one yet. Two new ownership groups and a new stadium in Orlando are positive achievements for the league, but Thursday’s announcement of an agreement between the NWSL and A+E Networks is the biggest news yet.
The 2016 NWSL season concluded on October 6th with the Western New York Flash winning the title on penalties. Meanwhile, on the men's side of the game, the Carolina RailHawks were sitting at home after missing the NASL playoffs and wondering how to rebound in 2017. Now, neither of those teams exist — well, not in their previous form.
The NWSL minimum salary will more than double for next season, from $7,200 to 15,000.
Woo.
Even if it is (more than) doubling, that's not much in the way of an increase It still all but guarantees players will have to work second and even third jobs to be able to afford their bills, especially in expensive markets like Seattle, Portland, Chicago and Boston.