Sources: NWSL 'star' salaries would be tied to player profiles - ESPN

The NWSL's board of governors approved a new roster mechanism to pay select star players above the current salary cap, multiple sources confirmed to ESPN.

The proposed mechanism still requires consultation with the NWSLPA, however, because of its effect on the salary cap and per the terms of the league's collective bargaining agreement.

ESPN first reported Wednesday that the NWSL's board was nearing such a resolution to its salary cap issue, which has been compounded recently by uncertainty regarding Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman's future.

The new mechanism, which multiple sources said has been dubbed behind the scenes as «High Impact Player» to describe who would be eligible for the new funds, would allow teams to spend up to $1 million over the salary cap on top-end players while incurring only a portion of that salary as a cap hit.

In the short term, the new rule could allow the NWSL and the Spirit to keep Rodman from departing as a free agent. The creation of the rule, however, does not solve Rodman's future without the Spirit and the USWNT star also striking a deal — which has yet to happen.

But the NWSL board's adoption of this rule also has long-term implications based on who qualifies for what will become the league's top salaries.

Sources told ESPN that the exact qualifications for players eligible for the new funds had been refined and updated in recent days ahead of the NWSL's board vote, which concluded Thursday.

The spirit of the rule, however, is that there will be guidelines for teams on who qualifies as a «High Impact Player,» and that the funds should be spent on retaining and attracting the world's best talent. Those guidelines would vary from the league's previous form of allocation money,