The Olympics are an obvious juggernaut in the sports world. Athletes from 206 countries converged in Tokyo this summer, competing in 33 sports. The summer games take over the sports world narrative, so it’s easy to have news items from domestic leagues slip through the cracks. This article is here to help you catch up on a few off-field announcements in the NWSL before all the Olympians return. Here’s what you might have missed.
Rebrand Incoming
To start July, the NWSL announced their intent to rebrand for its upcoming 10th anniversary. Tasked with the job is marketing firm Soulsight. Most notably, Soulsight has worked with major brands like Coors, Hershey’s, and the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League.
Buy all your vintage NWSL crest gear now before it’s too late.
Olivia Moultrie Makes History
The Portland Thorns, on July 1, signed 15-year-old midfielder Olivia Moultrie to a professional contract. This came after months of legal battles between Moultrie and the league. Just two days after the signing, Moultrie earned her first professional minutes, substituting in for eight minutes in a 2-0 road victory against Racing Louisville FC.
Moultrie followed that up with two more substitute appearances, and the NWSL followed her signing up with continued off-field action in court to fight it. On July 30, the NWSL caved, kind of. A settlement between sides allows Moultrie to continue her professional career, with a contingency. If the players association and the league agree to a minimum age limit older than Moultrie, she’ll no longer be eligible to play.
There’s a lot more to come as the league and players, who are both currently at the table negotiating a collective bargaining agreement.
Coaching Return
While OL Reign Olympians Megan Rapinoe, Rose Lavelle, Quinn, Nicole Momiki, and Angelina traveled to Tokyo, their polarizing manager Farid Benstiti resigned from his post. In response, OL Reign brought in a familiar fan-favorite in Laura Harvey. The two-time former NWSL Coach of the Year, for then Seattle Reign, Harvey managed the club for four seasons before managing two years with the Utah Royals; followed by a stint with the US National Team’s U20 squad.
Harvey joins OL Reign following the Tokyo Olympics, where Harvey is an assistant coach for the United States.
Coaching Expansion
The NWSL is expanding, and the newest member of the league made a big off-field splash. San Diego NWSL, who the league announced is taking the place of the failed NWSL Sacramento ownership group, hired Casey Stoney of Manchester United. Stoney led the Manchester club from their start in 2018, getting promoted into England’s Women’s Super League in one season and competing against the top teams in the country.
Stoney’s west coast hire caused a ripple effect that impacted a team 2,500 miles away.
Coaching Domino
Before the Olympics, the Orlando Pride were near the top of the table. This came after years of injuries and superstar absences. With Manchester United’s coaching position open, Orlando manager Marc Skinner jumped at the opportunity. On July 23, Skinner left the Pride to head back to his England homeland.
In his place, in the interim, is former University of Florida women’s soccer program head coach Becky Burleigh.
Mystery Gotham FC General Manager Moves
Meg Linehan, of The Athletic, reported interim GM Alyse LaHue’s absence from Gotham FC.
There’s not much coming out of NJ, but I have confirmed via multiple sources that Alyse LaHue is on personal leave from Gotham FC.
— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) July 2, 2021
That’s where the story stands as of right now, and to be honest, that’s really all there is as of right now. #NWSL
Over a month later, there’s still not a lot reported about why LaHue left, outside of an official NWSL announcement. On July 17, the league cited LaHue’s firing after an “investigation into a complaint of violation of League policy.”
Tuesday, Gotham filled the void with another interim GM hiring, this time in former player Yael Averbuch. Averbuch last played in the league in 2018, for the Seattle Reign. Will this interim role turn into a permanent one?
RISE Partnership
July 26, the NWSL made a peculiar off-field move, joining a social justice and inclusion group called RISE. Right away, supporters voiced their concerns. Chicago Red Stars Supporters’ Group, Chicago Local 134, calling it, on Twitter, “another example of gross negligence!”
This negligence is based on the leadership of the organization. The board of directors is full of sports league commissioners and company CEOs but only two are women, compared to 23 men (many of which designate the responsibility to someone else within their organization). Another problem, from the perspective of supporters, is the group’s founder.
The name RISE is not a call to action, but an acronym: Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality. RISE’s founder is Stephen M. Ross, who had a bio on the non-profit’s website until it was removed post-NWSL announcement. Ross is a real estate mogul and 95% owner of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. In Aug. 2019, Ross held a fundraiser for former president Donald Trump, who has amplified the message of White Supremacists and anti-LGBTQIA+ names.
What adds to the peculiarity is the silence around it. The pressure on the decision from the Chicago Local 134 turned into a question by Chicago Sun-Times journalist Annie Costabile. After Chicago’s 3-1 victory over the Washington Spirit Sunday, Costabile asked Red Star players Sarah Gorden, Mallory Pugh, and Arin Wright about the partnership.
.@AnnieCostabile asks about the RISE partnership announced earlier this week
— Alex Campbell (@alex_s_campbell) August 2, 2021
All players say they don’t know anything about it #MKOT #NWSL
For a league with players like Gorden that push social justice conversations, this partnership, and the silence surrounding it, creates more questions than pride in trying to improve as a league.
There’s still half of a regular-season to go in the NWSL, before the 2021 NWSL Playoffs kickoff. Follow Beyond Women’s Sports for more from soccer, basketball, and more. Follow Thomas Costello on Twitter @1ThomasCostello.
Photo credits: Olivia Moultrie by Joe Robbins/ISI Photos/Getty Images. Casey Stoney by Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images. Yael Averbuch by Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. Stephen Ross by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images
