The National Women's Soccer League

Conclusion

When Baird took the reins as commissioner in March 2020, little did she know how her third day on the job would unfold. It would set the course for her inaugural year and the tone for her leadership style. It would also set the NWSL on a new trajectory. By various measures, Baird and the league overcame seemingly insurmountable challenges and emerged from the pandemic in a measurably stronger position. The NWSL achieved higher television ratings, more sponsorship revenue, welcomed new teams to the league, and raised awareness about social justice issues.

As Baird began her second year on the job, the league's to-do list was wide-ranging: compete in an increasingly competitive global soccer economy, revenue generation, fan engagement, the NWSL rebrand, expansion, and a new item: negotiating a CBA with the NWSLPA. On April 7, 2021, the NWSL announced that it would start negotiations with the NWSLPA to "secure a mutually beneficial, long-term, collective bargaining agreement between the two parties". The overarching vision held by Baird, the owners and league executives: attract and retain the best players in the world with a high- performance environment that provides the highest quality training and competition and leads the way in women's professional soccer. And they wanted to do that in a way that benefited both the players and the league.

Looking at the future more philosophically, Baird noted: "The league's founding owners and U.S. Soccer navigated great uncertainty and founded the 'right league,' growing with prudent, smart investments. Now is the time to make the league 'right,' making the strategic investment, to create a sustainable future for the business of women's professional soccer.