The NWSL's plan to implement a “High Impact Player Rule,” which would allow teams to offer certain athletes contracts that exceed the salary cap, was met with controversy, but the league has decided to push forward with the mechanism despite the protests. The NWSLPA voiced that it disagrees with the choice after suggesting its own alternative plan.
However, the NWSL released a statement announcing the move to allow teams to spend up to $1 million over the salary cap for certain players, even without the support of the players' union. In the press release, Commissioner Jessica Berman explained the league leadership's reasoning for pushing forward.
“Ensuring our teams can compete for the best players in the world is critical to the continued growth of our league,” Berman said. “The High Impact Player Rule allows teams to invest strategically in top talent, strengthens our ability to retain star players, and demonstrates our commitment to building world-class rosters for fans across the league.”
The NWSL revealed a list of sports-related criteria a player must meet in order to be considered an HIP. The list includes achieving at least one of the following: Being seleceted in the top 30 in Ballon D'Or voting, landing in the top 40 of ESPN FC's Top 50, chosen in the top 40 of the Guardian Top 100 Football Players in the world, playing top 11 minutes (or top 1 minutes for goalkeepers) with the USWNT, or being selected as an NWSL MVP Finalist or to the End of Year Best XI First Team within the last two years, or landing on the SportsPro Media Top 150 Most Marketable Athletes list in the year prior.
On the other side of the debate, the NWSLPA put out its statement of disapproval right after the league made its announcement. The union didn't mince words when expressing its desire to have taken an alternative route to the salary cap issue.
“The NWSL Players Association opposes the league's decision to move forward without bargaining over the High Impact Player Rule,” the NWSLPA's statement read. “Under federal labor law, changes to compensation under the salary cap are a mandatory subject of bargaining — not a matter of unilateral discretion.”
The HIP Rule was originally developed to help the NWSL retain players like Trinity Rodman, who's been rumored to be entertaining deals from Europe since her contract with the Washington Spirit is expiring. The $3.5 million cap limit was keeping the league from offering Rodman a deal that could financially rival the ones she's receiving from overseas.
