NWSL Extends Commissioner Jessica Berman, what's next?

Jessica Berman was a breath of fresh air. 

Former NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird stepped down following reports that she failed to act despite knowledge of multiple abuse allegations implicating multiple NWSL coaches and front offices.

Berman picked up the pieces, oversaw the implementation of recommendations given by former US Attorney General Sally Yates and the NWLSPA, and successfully negotiated a historic media rights deal worth $240 million over four years.

Berman was rewarded for that work last week when NWSL ownership collectively approved a 3-year extension for the commissioner. The extension will ensure that Berman oversees the next round of media rights negotiations, along with a rolling expansion process as cities line up to be next in line. These efforts were buoyed by the league's renewed emphasis on facilities, resulting in an dramatic uptick in club values. All of this earned Berman the 2024 Executive of the Year award at last year’s Sports Business Awards, the first woman to win.

However, a quick look beneath the surface shows that Berman’s tenure has already run thin with some players, fans, and ownership groups. 

I’ve detailed much of Berman’s “work” through this newsletter, observing as her office failed to keep the high standard she has preached for the league. The league has tried to wash its hands of previous scandals without fully committing to the recommendations, officiating is still underfunded, and player safety has repeatedly been compromised to appease the league’s broadcast partners, cultivating an attitude that led the league to argue in court that it has no “duty of care” for employees of its clubs.

The atmosphere of discontent is building. 

Berman’s extension was not unanimous among the NWSL ownership collective, according to Sportico’s initial reporting.

It’s easy to see why.

Berman argued with KC Current ownership when an August match between KC and Orlando was postponed during a heat advisory, imploring owner Chris Long to take another reading of the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature despite the publicly available CBA detailing a different process. Later, it was revealed that the league internally changed its heat advisory protocols without informing the NWSLPA of the change. 

Earlier in the year, the league office also ran afoul of both Utah Royals and Angel City coaching staffs. Following Savy King's abrupt medical intervention, no one at the league could be reached to postpone the match, forcing both sides to play out the closing moments of the match.

To their credit, the league adjusted its protocols and was able to postpone the match in Seattle last month when Savannah DeMelo collapsed just ahead of halftime.

While these failures have swayed fans’ opinions of the commissioner, her inability to assemble an executive team was noted in Sport Business Journal’s initial reporting. Talking to one ownership group, Berman’s handling of Chief Marketing Executive Julie Haddon’s exit cast her in a poor light, especially as the WNBA playoffs soared to new viewership records this season. 

The NWSL’s growth has been subdued comparatively; while some attendances are up across the league, the league has seen a 10% decrease in total attendance as October 1st. The top half of the league's average attendance leaders have all seen a slight decrease from 2024 numbers. Those numbers don’t include Decision Day or the uptick in attendance for the playoffs, but they do point to a stagnation in the league's momentum.

Worrying trends are developing.

In the absence of Haddon, Berman took a big swing with the league’s Unwell FC partnership but didn’t see a cavalcade of new fans from partnering with Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper. The backlash from the league’s established fanbase seemed to catch Berman off guard – despite clear signs that the fanbase would react negatively to the association with a former Barstool personality.

These misses have dulled the shine of an executive who came into 2025 with momentum from a historic CBA and broadcast deal. Berman will have to double down on increasing broadcast and commercial revenue opportunities, but that will only go so far. There’s apprehension building, signified by just a three-year extension in the role compared to the lengthy extensions often afforded to established commissioners. 

Berman’s extension would take her through the next round of media rights negotiations, but would expire before the next round of CBA negotiations ahead of 2030. Those discussions would be contentious as things stand. A media circus that the league would most certainly want to avoid after watching the most recent WNBA negotiations stall due to the deterioration of Cathy Engelbert’s relationship with the WNBAPA. 

What’s next?

Berman has to realize the situation she has created ahead of a pivotal 2026. The men’s World Cup should offer an opportunity for soccer in the US across all levels, and the NWSL has to explore ways to maximize that impact.

Over the next three years, the job will only become more difficult. European leagues are starting to eat into the NWSL’s market share, as has the WNBA’s continued success, and players have already left for bigger paydays abroad. 

That should stress the system, just as the front office’s mishandling of internal investigations should stress the system, but there’s a feeling that leadership would rather cast their eye towards the business ledger than make sure that the quality of soccer increases. 

Berman’s tenure has been defined by massive short-term gains, but has it been at the expense of a better soccer league? Does that matter if expansion fees continue to skyrocket?

That will be the fundamental question that ownership has to answer over the next three seasons.