Trinity Rodman isn't necessarily interested in changing the view of NWSL among women's soccer leagues worldwide.
But her upcoming free agent contract decision has the potential to do that anyway.
The NWSL season ended over the weekend, with Rodman's Washington Spirit falling in the championship game. She's now officially a free agent.
Rodman enters free agency at a time when the league's salary cap is $3.3 million but set to rise to $5.1 million in the next five years.
Whether Rodman stays or not could determine whether that $5.1 million team spending limit could change or not.
The Washington Post's Thomas Floyd broke down the situation like this in a new article:
"Rodman’s free agency is an inflection point for the NWSL, which earlier this year lost U.S. National team regulars Naomi Girma and Alyssa Thompson to English club Chelsea. Last year, U.S. Defender Emily Fox left for England’s Arsenal. Lindsey Heaps, the U.S. Team’s captain, departed for French power Lyon (now OL Lyonnes) in 2022. And several rising American stars — Lily Yohannes, Catarina Macario and Korbin Shrader — bypassed the domestic circuit entirely... The NWSL salary cap will rise from $3.3 million to $3.5 million next season, and it will increase each year before reaching $5.1 million in 2030. While there is no maximum salary, clubs can offer top players only so much without wrecking their rosters."
Rodman's free agency is so big that the league's commissioner was asked about it leading into the championship match.
“We want Trinity in our league,” commissioner Jessica Berman said, “and we will fight for her.”
Rodman is a 23-year old star both in NWSL and for the United States. She's also a well-known figure on social media whose popularity is key for women's soccer.
If Rodman leaves the NWSL, it could either prop up the Gainbridge Super League that has started in the U.S. And wants to poach her, or it could just continue the slow exodus of stars to Europe.
No matter what, Rodman's choice will have a huge impact.
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