Overview
- Commissioner Jessica Berman vetoed Washington’s four-year, backloaded offer that sources said Rodman was ready to accept, with an average value exceeding $1 million per season.
- The league argued the structure violated the “spirit” of competition rules and constituted salary-cap circumvention, according to grievance documents and league statements.
- The NWSL Players Association says the deal complies with the CBA, citing projected cap space, the league’s ability to raise the cap, and a one-per-year buyout that would not count against the cap.
- Per the CBA, the NWSL has 14 days to answer the grievance in writing before the dispute can move to a joint committee and potentially to arbitration.
- Rodman remains a free agent drawing interest from European clubs as the NWSL operates under a hard cap projected to rise from about $3.5 million in 2026 to roughly $4.9–$5.1 million by 2029–2030, with current media rights expiring after 2027.