NWSL and NWSLPA agree to CBA terms through 2030

The GIST: On Friday, Sportico broke the news that the NWSL and its players’ union, the NWSLPA, had quietly agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in effect through at least 2030. It’s a smart play for both sides as the NWSLPA pushes for improved conditions and the league looks to get ahead of labor demands as it expands. It’s just good business.

The details: Specific details aren’t available yet — league and union representatives are waiting for players to share on their own terms — but sources revealed a few vague aspects of the deal. The new CBA will follow the current one once it expires after the 2026 season, although some parts of the deal will kick in sooner.

• The new agreement reportedly includes increased pay for players and more freedom in player movement, a positive development for a league still learning from its free agency system instituted only two years ago.

• Notably, the new CBA will cover the league when it negotiates a new media deal in 2027 — one that is expected to surpass the historic $240M deal secured last year. Without a CBA in place in 2027, NWSL players could potentially hold out until terms are met — and if the league is making millions more, it would be tougher to argue against new CBA conditions.

The growth: As the NWSL grows in value, so does the NWSLPA’s leverage. And although the league has started to pass on its gains to players with moves like doubling its salary cap this January — which resulted in several record player contracts — it's critical to use that leverage to get things in writing.

Zooming out: The NWSL may be new to the CBA game after signing its first one in 2022, but it’s made strides in a few short years. Coming back to the negotiating table preemptively is something other leagues could learn from, especially the WNBA, which just signed its own massive $2.2B media rights deal and the WNBPA able to opt out of its CBA this November. Studying the tapes.