The NWSL is past the halfway mark in its fourth season, breaking the "three year curse" after the previous demises of the WPS and WUSA, but the "question becomes" what is next for women's pro soccer, according to Stephanie Yang of EXCELLE SPORTS. Houston Dash coach Randy Waldrum said, "We’ve got to plan a ten-month season to be able to pay salaries that would be enticing to top players, because right now we can’t compete with the money that’s in some of the top teams in France or the top teams in Germany.” Yang noted a 10-month season "would also have the effect of creating salary stability for players." Boston Breakers Managing Partner Michael Stoller said that ownership "has always felt the season needs to be longer." He said, "For some teams they say the more games we play, the more money we lose. For us, we think the more opportunities to have revenue, some level of your costs are fixed." Yang noted the salary issue "is another question that all the stakeholders agreed on -- it needs to be higher, and it needs to be higher for everyone." Stoller "pointed out that the salary cap has crept up over the years and will continue to do so as part of the league’s growth." Opinions between the stakeholders "start to split over just how the league is going to get to these new standards." On the surface level, "everyone agreed that the future of NWSL is tied into MLS." Portland Thorns Owner & CEO Merritt Paulson, who also owns the Timbers, said, "The more MLS people get involved, the more high profile the (NWSL) becomes. The more franchise values increase, I think the more we’re likely able to get a TV deal done and national sponsorship deals, et cetera" (EXCELLESPORTS.com, 7/13).
BOYS ON THE SIDE: Yang noted beyond the MLS question, a "divide starts to appear when it comes to thoughts on keeping NWSL together as it grows." Some independent teams "are making it work, but there are certainly concerns about smaller teams with struggling attendance numbers." Stoller thinks there "should be respect for teams that have been in the NWSL from the very beginning." He said, "It's a bit absurd to easily dismiss non-MLS owners and non-billionaire owners simply because there’s interpretation that they can’t do certain things." Stoller, referencing the failed Sky Blue FC/Red Bulls deal, said, "They’re not going to step aside because somebody thinks Red Bull could do it better. Red Bull and New York City FC, if they want to buy it for a value proposition, hey more power to them. If Sky Blue is willing to sell on that basis, great. I know the Sky Blue owners are into what we’re doing collectively and are not looking to get out at this point.” Seattle Reign MF Keelin Winters suggested that if teams "couldn’t keep up, NWSL could try to implement a system of relegation." Beyond the ownership level, Waldrum "wants greater control over his roster." He thinks "disentangling NWSL from U.S. Soccer’s purse strings, in essence stopping or reducing the federations’ subsidization of the league by paying national team players’ salaries in place of the club, would help strengthen the league." Yang: "The good news? It does seem that everyone can agree that the league is growing" (EXCELLESPORTS.com, 7/14).
