The National Women's Soccer League Players Association has filed a grievance against the NWSL arguing that the league violated terms of the collective bargaining agreement when it vetoed the Washington Spirit's record-setting contract offer to star forward Trinity Rodman.
The NWSLPA filed the grievance on behalf of Rodman on Wednesday, arguing that the NWSL's rejection of the agreed-upon terms between Rodman and the Spirit was a "flagrant violation" of Rodman's free agency rights and at least five sections of the CBA.
According to the document, which was reviewed by ESPN, the NWSL argued that the agreement between Rodman and Washington violated the "spirit" of the league's competition rules.
Rodman and the Washington Spirit recently had agreed to a multi-year contract that would backload compensation in the final years of her contract, according to the grievance.
Sources familiar with the agreement said that it was slated to be a four-year deal with escalators that would bring the average compensation to over $1 million annually over the duration of the deal, which would be the largest contract in NWSL history.
The NWSL also accused Rodman of "salary cap circumvention," according to the grievance.
But the players association argues that the negotiated deal is permissible under the terms of the CBA and within the projected team salary cap for future years.
A league spokesperson provided ESPN with the following statement: "Our goal is to ensure that the very best players in the world, including Trinity, continue to call this league home. We will do everything we can, utilizing every lever available within our rules to keep Trinity Rodman here."
At stake is the future of the NWSL's biggest star and the league's salary cap structure. Rodman's previous contract was set to expire at the end of the month, and her impending decision was the focal point around the NWSL and its recent championship match in which she and the Washington Spirit participated.
With the NWSLPA's grievance filed, the league has 14 days to sustain or deny it in writing.
If it is not resolved within 14 days, a grievance committee consisting of one representative appointed by the league and one representative appointed by the players association will review the matter.
If that committee cannot resolve the issue, it will go to arbitration (which both parties could jointly agree to proceed to directly).
Rodman has played for Washington since being selected by the Spirit with the No. 2 overall pick in 2021 in the now defunct draft.
As a rookie, she helped guide Washington to its first NWSL Championship that year. The Spirit lost in the final in 2024 and 2025. Following that rookie year, she signed a new four-year deal worth $1.1 million total.
Spirit owner Michele Kang has said repeatedly this year that she and the Spirit "will do everything in our power" to keep Rodman.
Kang told ESPN that again earlier this week, and new president of soccer operations Haley Carter called Rodman "a top priority."
ESPN previously reported that Rodman has received multiple offers from European clubs that exceeded what NWSL teams could pay her due to the league's salary cap. The league's salary cap in 2025, after adjustments for revenue sharing, was $3.5 million.
The CBA, which was ratified in summer 2024, calls for the NWSL's team salary cap to rise each year through 2030. In 2029 -- which would be the last year of a proposed four-year deal for Rodman -- the base salary cap is set to be $4.9 million.
That number will likely grow larger once adjusted for revenue sharing; the base for 2025 was initially $3.3 million.
The NWSL's current four-year, $240 million media rights deal expires after the 2027 season, and sources across the league have said consistently throughout the year that they expect the next rights deal to increase dramatically -- which would also increase the salary cap.
The Spirit's backloaded offer to Rodman effectively gambles on that raise to the cap happening but, according to the grievance, still complies with current NWSL rules.
And the Spirit have a way to restructure or get out of any potential deal if they cannot comply with the cap in the future.
Section III.7.c of the NWSL's competition manual states that each team can buy out the contract of one player per season with no impact on the salary cap.
A league source who was not permitted to speak publicly due to the sensitivity of the matter said that the NWSL would have no issue approving a $1 million annual contract.
As a single entity, all player contracts are held with the NWSL rather than individual teams.
Section 8.16 of the CBA also states that the listed salary cap numbers are minimums, but that the "NWSL may in its discretion, after consultation with the NWSLPA, reduce or eliminate" salary cap charges.
Why NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman and the league's board of governors have not raised the cap yet has been a point of contention in recent weeks.
Berman said in the days preceding last month's NWSL Championship that "we want Trinity in our league and we will fight for her."
But Berman also said that "we do not believe the NWSL is a charity," and that "the value proposition" of the league goes beyond just salaries -- points she has made previously.
Section 13.6 of the CBA, which is referenced in Wednesday's grievance, also states that "a player's free agency rights as set forth herein supersede any other inconsistent NWSL rules, regulations, handbooks, or competition guidelines."
There also is not a maximum salary defined by the CBA. The league's intervention with Rodman could effectively create a maximum salary, the NWLSPA argues.
In ESPN's recent anonymous survey of general managers, there was an overwhelming worry that the NWSL will not be able to compete for top players under the current salary cap projections.
One GM proposed the league "find a solution to paying top talent with the least amount of damage to the rest of the ecosystem," like MLS' designated player rule.
That concept has been discussed by the NWSL's board, as previously reported by ESPN, but it is unclear how close it is to coming to fruition.
The potential loss of Rodman to a league abroad would be another blow after the abrupt departure of USWNT forward Alyssa Thompson from Angel City FC to Chelsea in September.
Bloomberg first reported the rejection of Rodman's contract by Berman, and the subsequent grievance filing by the NWSLPA.