Sources: NWSL commissioner Berman gets 3-year extension - ESPN

Jessica Berman has been given a contract extension to remain as NWSL commissioner, multiple sources confirmed to ESPN.

A source with knowledge of the deal said it was for three years, which would run through the 2028 NWSL season, with her original deal set to expire in the coming months.

An NWSL spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by ESPN.

Berman briefly addressed her future last month in a press conference at the NWSL's New York headquarters: «What I can say is that I intend to be here. I joined this league because I believe in the future of women's sports and professional women's soccer, and that's all I can say.»

Berman's future as commissioner has been under negotiation for months. Multiple sources told ESPN that the full board did not have a unanimous opinion on how to move forward.

The board has a four-person executive committee that led the process. Per Sportico, the league's executive committee finalized Berman's deal this week without a final vote from the full board, which a second source confirmed to ESPN.

Under Berman, the NWSL's commercial business has grown exponentially, including a $240 million media rights deal, ongoing expansion of the league, and rising team valuations from around $5 million to over $250 million in a few years. The league office has also expanded exponentially and the NWSL has attracted new major sponsors.

The league also ratified a new collective bargaining agreement last year, and it has made sweeping reforms to improve player safety following a systemic abuse scandal that predated Berman and forced the resignation of her predecessor, Lisa Baird, in 2021.

Those business strides have garnered the support of many owners, who have seen the value of their teams and the league