Sarah Spain

And free agents can sign whenever they want. There's not even restricted free agency where the team that originally had their rights has a chance to match. It is entirely players' rights now. And this is in part because the NWSL is having trouble competing with World Soccer and FIFA that operated in an entirely different way, right?

So if a global team was trying to get you to play for them, you might choose them purely because you don't want to get drafted to somewhere that you have no choice. And... you know, that was a disadvantage to the NWSL.

So if a global team was trying to get you to play for them, you might choose them purely because you don't want to get drafted to somewhere that you have no choice. And... you know, that was a disadvantage to the NWSL.

So this is the first real offseason where we're seeing not only collegiate and younger players just sign with whatever team they choose, but also seeing all these free agents potentially choose NWSL, WSL, which is the European Women's League in England, Naomi Germa, who's a superstar for the U.S.

So this is the first real offseason where we're seeing not only collegiate and younger players just sign with whatever team they choose, but also seeing all these free agents potentially choose NWSL, WSL, which is the European Women's League in England, Naomi Germa, who's a superstar for the U.S.

national team and was playing for the San Diego Wave, just left and went to Chelsea out in England, had the biggest transfer fee of over a million dollars for a female player ever, and signed a four-year deal with them. And because of the way they restructured their rules, that was able to happen during a transfer window.

national team and was playing for the San Diego Wave, just left and went to Chelsea out in England, had the biggest transfer fee of over a million dollars for a female player ever, and signed a four-year deal with them. And because of the way they restructured their rules, that was able to happen during a transfer window.

Yeah, I mean, there's the spectacle and the entertainment side of it, but then there's also how it serves a league. So, for instance, in the past, there was a Supreme Court ruling, this Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer wrote in Brown v. Football, 1996,

Yeah, I mean, there's the spectacle and the entertainment side of it, but then there's also how it serves a league. So, for instance, in the past, there was a Supreme Court ruling, this Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer wrote in Brown v. Football, 1996,

clubs that make up a professional sports league are not completely independent economic competitors as they depend on a degree of cooperation for economic survival. So in the past, basically, antitrust laws and things that people felt like a draft were in violation of were able to be saved around the idea that each individual part of a professional league is really just one company, sort of.

clubs that make up a professional sports league are not completely independent economic competitors as they depend on a degree of cooperation for economic survival. So in the past, basically, antitrust laws and things that people felt like a draft were in violation of were able to be saved around the idea that each individual part of a professional league is really just one company, sort of.

And in the NWSL, that argument really wouldn't have worked because it didn't help the health of the league to have a draft when the rest of global football didn't. So it benefits the health of the NWSL to operate in the same system as FIFA football and global football. The NFL would have different rules. The NBA would have different rules.

And in the NWSL, that argument really wouldn't have worked because it didn't help the health of the league to have a draft when the rest of global football didn't. So it benefits the health of the NWSL to operate in the same system as FIFA football and global football. The NFL would have different rules. The NBA would have different rules.

So yes, it's very interesting to think about, for player rights purposes, how you might replace the draft and do something else. But also, it would be harder to get rid of it in the professional men's leagues in the U.S. because of the fact that they aren't really operating in a global system the same way the NWSL wants to.

So yes, it's very interesting to think about, for player rights purposes, how you might replace the draft and do something else. But also, it would be harder to get rid of it in the professional men's leagues in the U.S. because of the fact that they aren't really operating in a global system the same way the NWSL wants to.

No, this is a very essentially American thing. to take away an individual's rights and put them instead with a league or a team. In global football, with like, let's say, Naomi Gurma and transfer fees. Naomi Gurma is headed to Chelsea because she wanted to go there and they wanted her. She was under contract with the San Diego wave of the NWSL through the end of 2026.

No, this is a very essentially American thing. to take away an individual's rights and put them instead with a league or a team. In global football, with like, let's say, Naomi Gurma and transfer fees. Naomi Gurma is headed to Chelsea because she wanted to go there and they wanted her. She was under contract with the San Diego wave of the NWSL through the end of 2026.

So first, San Diego and Chelsea have to agree on a transfer fee, which is the amount of money Chelsea is going to pay San Diego to have the rights to Naomi Gurma. That's over a million dollars. And then they also have to convince Naomi Gurma to go there and sign there. Even if they agreed on the trade and the transfer fee, she would not have to go there unless she agreed to it.

So first, San Diego and Chelsea have to agree on a transfer fee, which is the amount of money Chelsea is going to pay San Diego to have the rights to Naomi Gurma. That's over a million dollars. And then they also have to convince Naomi Gurma to go there and sign there. Even if they agreed on the trade and the transfer fee, she would not have to go there unless she agreed to it.

So at every turn, there is both a negotiation between clubs on a transfer fee and a negotiation between player and club. An interesting element that is potentially going to come up and is already being discussed in the MLS is should a player get a percentage of that transfer fee? Because ultimately, it's their value that's dictating how much is being paid and why.