The National Women’s Soccer League wants to keep Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman in the league for years to come.
But Rodman’s services will come at a cost, and according to multiple media reports, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman vetoed a deal that would have kept Rodman in the league. According to The Athletic, the 23-year-old Rodman was ready to accept a multi-million-dollar deal from Washington, only for Berman to nix it.
According to The Athletic, Berman believed the proposed deal would have violated league rules. The league’s players’ union has commenced a grievance filing on Rodman’s behalf, The Athletic reported.
‘Our goal is to ensure that the very best players in the world, including Trinity, continue to call this league home. We will do everything we can, utilizing every lever available within our rules to keep Trinity Rodman here,’ a league spokesperson said in a statement.
The deal would have been worth more than $1 million per season, and Berman has previously stated that owners not being able to outspend each other promotes parity. The team salary cap is $3.5 million for the 2026 season.
Rodman became a free agent last month after her Spirit team lost in the NWSL championship to Gotham FC.