The NWSL has "formally recognized the NWSL Players Association as the exclusive bargaining representative for the league's players." The NWSLPA "represents current and future players who have signed standard player agreements" with the league. USWNT players who are allocated throughout the league are "represented by the U.S. Women's National Team Players Association" (AP, 11/15).
RESEARCH FUNDING: The NFL has awarded more than $35M in grants to "fund medical research into brain health and injuries." The NFL added that the grants were "made to research projects evaluated and chosen" by an independent scientific advisory board of doctors. The board was "chaired by Peter Chiarelli, a retired U.S. Army general who is the former CEO of One Mind, a nonprofit organization focused on the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress." Chiarelli said that the NFL "accepted all five recommendations" given by the board and added that the research done "will have applications beyond football" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 11/15).
TURNING OF THE TIDE: In Boston, Frank Dell'Apa wrote MLS is "becoming a league that features foreign stars and relegates U.S. players to supporting roles with commensurate inferior salaries, judging by selections for the MLS Best XI team." There are "seven foreign and four U.S. players on the Best XI -- but no U.S. attacking players have been named to the team" since then-Red Bulls MF Sacha Kljestan in '16 (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 11/14).
