US Women’s Soccer Ditched the Draft in a Bid to Regain Top Spot

(Bloomberg) -- The National Women’s Soccer League ditched its draft in its bid to be the best soccer league in the world, and a recognition that what works for men’s US sports doesn’t work for women. 

“The rest of the world has woken up to women’s soccer,” said NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman, speaking at Bloomberg Power Players New York. “We have competitors globally, and that requires a different level of innovation and thoughtfulness around the mechanisms by which we will be in a position to attract the top talent.”

The NWSL has been on a tear. In late 2023, it signed a media deal worth about $240 million, which is roughly 40 times the previous pact. And the deal for largest franchise sale in women’s sports history: Los Angeles’s Angel City FC by Willow Bay and Bob Iger — at a valuation of $250 million — was completed Thursday. 

The US has traditionally been the leading nation for women’s soccer, but rival leagues in Europe have been closing the gap, with record crowds watching Barcelona Femení, and clubs including Lyon, Olympique Lyonnais and Chelsea arguably attracting the best players. 

Last month, in perhaps its most seismic decision, the NWSL moved to scrap the draft, creating a new collective-bargaining agreement that allows players entering the league to be free agents.

Almost all major US sports use a draft system for new players into the various leagues. 

“If you look at the NFL or the NBA and you balance the tradeoffs,” said Berman. “Leagues have historically benefited from someone else investing in your player development pathway.”

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