Trinity Rodman: NWSLPA Files Grievance Against League Commissioner Over Contract Veto
The Washington Spirit reportedly reached a contract agreement to keep star Forward Trinity Rodman in the fold for the next four years. That is great news for the league, right? The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) gets to keep one of its biggest names away from free agency and the clutches of the European clubs, and the Spirit gets to keep the face of its franchise. That sounds like a win-win situation. Unfortunately, NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman didn’t see things that way and vetoed the deal.
Who Is Trinity Rodman?
Rodman, the daughter of Hall of Fame basketball player Dennis Rodman, was the youngest player ever drafted into the NWSL in 2021. She was drafted second overall by the Washington Spirit and helped lead the team to an NWSL Championship that year. Rodman was named to the NWSL Best XI First Team and awarded Rookie of the Year honors. That year, she was also named the U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year.
Fast forward to today, and Rodman has now made the NWSL Best XI First Team three times. In 2024, she helped Team USA claim Olympic gold by scoring three goals in Paris. She has been nominated for an ESPY and for NWSL MVP. Rodman was the league’s highest-paid player until Sophia Smith signed a new contract in March of last year, and she is one of the faces of the league. The Spirit were defeated by Gotham FC for the NWSL Championship, 1-0, in late November.
The Trinity Rodman Contract Issue
According to The Athletic, Washington and Rodman had agreed to a multi-million-dollar four-year deal to keep the star forward with the Spirit. Commissioner Berman reviewed the deal and vetoed it, claiming the structure of the contract would have violated the spirit of the league. She did not, however, claim that it violated any specific rule or statute.
That is where the NWSL Players’ Association stepped in. The NWSLPA has filed a grievance stating that Washington had not violated any rules and had not exceeded the league’s salary cap. According to them, though, the commissioner/league had violated five different sections of the NWSL collective bargaining agreement.
What Happens Next In the Trinity Rodman Saga?
Unless the league can point to a specific violation, it would appear that the commissioner has overstepped her bounds here. By the time Rodman’s salary increases, so will the league’s salary cap. The NWSL is also set to negotiate a new media rights deal during the back half of her contract, which could lead to an even higher cap.
European clubs, which have no salary caps to deal with, have recently swooped in and signed NWSL standouts Naomi Girma, Crystal Dunn, Jenna Nighswonger, and Alyssa Thompson. Losing Rodman as well would be a big blow, and offers have already poured in to her agent. Unless the league relents, they could see another star player defect.
This dispute is far from over. With neither side backing down, the NWSLPA and the league will most likely end up in an arbitration hearing to hash this all out. Soccer clubs and fans on both sides of the Atlantic will be watching closely as the next steps play out.
