NWSL Names Jessica Berman As Commissioner
Written by Oluwaseun Oyediji
Jessica Berman was named the United States (US) National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) commissioner on Wednesday following a nearly five-month search for the league’s next leader.
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She joins the NWSL from the National Lacrosse League, where she served as deputy commissioner and executive vice president of business affairs.
Before joining the NLL, Berman spent 13 years at the NHL, first as vice president and deputy general counsel and later as vice president of community development, culture, and growth as well as executive director of the NHL Foundation.
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Berman will begin her four-year term as commissioner on April 20. Marla Messing will stay on as interim Chief Execute Officer (CEO) until May 31.
Messing took over the role in October 2021 after then-commissioner Lisa Baird resigned following a widespread reckoning over abuses of power. The league’s Board of Directors also ousted general counsel Lisa Levine.
Meanwhile…
In the wake of a report in The Athletic detailing accusations of sexual coercion against former Courage coach Paul Riley, players around the league criticized the NWSL’s response.
Amid the fallout, the NWSL Players Association demanded that the players have a role in hiring the league’s next commissioner.
Members of the Players’ Commissioner Search Committee included Crystal Dunn, Kaylie Collins, Jane Campbell, Bri Visalli, Nicole Barnhart, Emily Menges, and Tori Huster, as well as NWSLPA executive director Meghann Burke.
The search committee also included the Board of Governors and firm James & Co.
Berman’s hire comes one month after the NWSLPA ratified the league’s first CBA. The agreement, which includes a 160 percent increase in the league’s minimum salary, group licensing rights, and other player benefits and guarantees, runs for five years.
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