The Washington Spirit’s bid to retain Trinity Rodman has reportedly hit a brand new impediment: NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman.
In accordance with and , the Spirit had a multimillion-dollar provide ready for Rodman and the star ahead was prepared to just accept, just for Berman to veto a deal that might have stored one of many faces of the NWSL within the U.S.
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The four-year deal reportedly would have paid Rodman a mean of greater than $1 million per 12 months — just like what she might get from the highest European golf equipment — however with a sliding scale that might have paid her considerably extra within the second half of the deal. That may have coincided with the expiration of the NWSL’s media rights deal, with more cash theoretically coming in with the following deal.
Berman reportedly felt the construction of the contract would have violated the spirit of the league. In response, the NWSL Gamers Affiliation has reportedly filed a grievance on Rodman’s behalf.
The league’s remark, from The Athletic:
“Our aim is to make sure that the perfect gamers on the planet, together with Trinity, proceed to name this league house. We’ll do every thing we are able to, using each lever obtainable inside our guidelines to maintain Trinity Rodman right here,” a league spokesperson stated Wednesday night time.
Whereas the NWSL stated it needs to do no matter it might probably to retain Rodman whereas remaining inside the guidelines, it is unclear what rule the proposed contract would have really violated. The Athletic notes the NWSL’s wage cap rules don’t seem to forbid growing a wage year-to-year so long as the group stays beneath the wage cap, and there’s no restrict on how large a single participant’s wage can get.
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The wage cap is reportedly set to develop from $3.5 million in 2026 to $4.9 million in 2029.
Trinity Rodman seems to be value more cash than the Spirit might realistically give her.
(Erin Chang/ISI Pictures through Getty Pictures)
None of that’s encouraging information for anybody invested in Rodman persevering with her NWSL tenure, with . The scenario , as quite a lot of notable gamers, akin to Naomi Girma and Alyssa Thompson, have already crossed the Atlantic for extra profitable offers.
Rodman’s agent has even met Berman to attempt to determine an answer, however we now know a minimum of one thought will not move muster on the league’s aspect.
