NWSL Player’s Association has expressed opposition toward the newly approved “High Impact Player,” or HIP, salary cap mechanism according to reports by ESPN and The Athletic.
The new HIP rule would allow
up to $1 million dollars outside of the total salary cap on players that meet special criteria determined by the league. ESPN reported last week that the NWSL board of governors voted to approve the new rule at a meeting in Miami.
NWSLPA Executive Director Meghan Burke said to ESPN and The Athletic that the prevailing sentiment among the more than 400 players was that the rule does not work
Burke said that according to their collective bargaining agreement between the NWSLPA and NWSL the league must consult with players before changing these types of rules or roster designations.
The NWSLPA sent communication to the league with a different suggestion, saying the league should raise the salary cap by $1 million total, creating space for teams to keep talent in the NWSL.
The HIP rule has been compared to the “David Beckham” rule or designated players in MLS, but differs significantly. In MLS team’s can spend an unlimited amount on a limited number of players, but the HIP rule would limit the amount to $1 million and could be given to multiple players that fit the unclear criteria set forth by the NWSL.
Criteria according to ESPN and The Athletic would be Ballon d’Or rankings or USWNT minutes played.
The new rule, and subsequent opposition comes following the thus far incomplete re-signing of Trinity Rodman to the Washington Spirit. Rodman reportedly accepted a four-year multi-million dollar contract from the Spirit, but the league rejected the deal saying it violated the rules and would circumvent the salary cap in the future. The NWSLPA disagreed with the league and filed a grievance against the league which has not yet been resolved.
Trinity Rodman will draw lots of interest abroad, and has even received a reportedly larger contract offer from DC Power, a professional women’s team in the USL. The NWSL has already seen multiple players leave the NWSL to play abroad. Most notably, both Southern California clubs lost USWNT players, Naomi Girma and Alyssa Thompson to Chelsea.
The HIP rule could solve Trinity Rodman’s future contract status in the short term, but could create many questions for the future of player salaries and roster construction in the NWSL.
