Dear NWSL… An Open Letter From Your Fans

This letter is the result of an open call on Twitter about what we, fans of the National Women’s Soccer League, would like to see done differently. Please take the time to read and reflect upon these requests.

Dear Lisa Baird and the rest of the NWSL community,

To say this preseason has been illuminating is an understatement. It also is not completely honest. For many fans we have known that this league is talking the talk, but not walking the walk when it comes to a plethora of social justice issues. This preseason we have seen Black players face racism as the league and its teams failed in their promises to be anti-racist. We have seen the league adopt a trans inclusion policy that falls short in all categories as a non-binary player has been repeatedly misgendered with silence from the league. To say that we have been let down is once again not entirely a true understatement: for many of us we knew this is who the league was, we just had hoped we were wrong.

Many fans have pointed to the support that the WNBA has given to their players in their protests and wondered why the NWSL cannot do more to behave like the WNBA. The WNBA supports their players, but they also defend their players and give them a safe and encouraging atmosphere to speak out about the discrimination they experience in their lives without trying to control or co-opt the messages.

We have grown exhausted from venting our frustrations, disappointment, and deep hurt on social media, more than a few people have expressed that it feels like shouting our traumas into a void. Hence this letter. We are now directly asking for some changes to this league that we love so much. We understand that a perfect league cannot be created in a day, we are asking for long term, well-funded and thoughtfully implemented changes. This is not the time for a flimsy public relations campaign.

Our asks are as follows:

• Please stop playing the national anthem. The song is deeply racist and does not represent who we are as fans, or what this league should stand for. We have seen clubs decline to play the anthem without fans and the fan reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Please make this a permanent policy change.
• Transparency. We need to trust that those in the league office are acting in good faith, in fairness, and with the best intentions towards fans and players. In this current climate that is impossible. We understand that not everything can be made public, but that more detailed reports (with names redacted if necessary, not if convenient) be published, and that some kind of oversight committee be created. This oversight committee cannot be entirely made up of league employees and should have some fan representation. This league has made it clear that it cannot hold itself accountable on its own. We cannot believe that you believe Black women when we do not see the process behind your decisions.
• Which brings us to racism. This league and its clubs claim to not only not be racist, but to be anti-racist establishments. If there is an effort for this to be true, it is falling woefully short. We need clear mission statements with tangible action steps for what this league is doing to make itself anti-racist.
• That includes, but is in no way limited to, anti-bias training for every NWSL staff member, from the commissioner of the league to the referees to the season ticket representatives to the commentators hired by league partners. Every single person needs annual training in this area, this is lifelong work and it needs lifelong training. This work also needs to have some sort of public reporting, we as fans need to know the work is happening and is being done in good ways. One suggestion was to look into the work of Monique Melton and to hire her.
• The league also needs to formally recognize the Black Women’s Player Collective and their mission. If the league has already recognized the BWPC, it needs to reiterate that partnership in a public way because as fans we cannot tell if this has happened. Transparency is a common thread that connects our asks.
• We also ask that the league do better when it comes to trans and non-binary inclusivity. This inclusivity is essential for any policy to be successful, by not consulting with the trans community, the NWSL trans policy fails to foster inclusion. The focus on testosterone levels, and lack of non-binary language, and the “challenge” process are not only damaging, but play into the various stereotypes that the trans community is struggling to break free from. The net effect is to make it harder for trans people than if there were no policy at all. This policy needs to be about welcoming trans and non-binary athletes, not about keeping them out of soccer.
• We are aware that there is an ongoing collective bargaining process at the moment and that we are not privy to what is being discussed and what progress is being made on that front. We have a few things that we hope both sides can keep in mind during their negotiations.
• NWSL athletes need to be paid a living wage, one that does not require them to be national team superstars or to have endorsement deals, playing soccer in the National Women’s Soccer League needs to be a job where players can afford to live without assistance.
• There needs to be a players union with representation from all communities — LGBTQI+, Black players, youth players, etc. Without representation, collective bargaining efforts cannot truly represent all players.
• The draft and trade system needs to give players more agency. Treating players like trading cards takes away their dignity.
• We also ask that there is more done to ensure language accessibility. This would look like finding Spanish language commentators and partners, ASL interpreters for news conferences, and closed captioning over all league videos. Soccer is a universal language, English is not.
• And finally, we ask that the league invests in their commitment to listening to fans. Almost as consistent as the cries for transparency have been cries of wanting to be heard. As fans of this league we feel as though our voices on social media, through our supporters groups, through our season ticket representatives have gone mostly unheard because we do not have an official line of communication with the league office. We are asking that the league create a fan liaison position (or group), a position that would be responsible for soliciting feedback and input on the league and helping to send that communication to relevant league and team employees. In creating an official position with the intention of listening and talking back to fans it will help to foster a productive relationship with fans, it will increase transparency about what the league is doing, and it will give everyone an official channel to truly make this league the best league in the world. It takes a team to be the best, and we want to be a part of that team.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to us, hopefully this is the first step in a respectful and meaningful relationship.

Signed, fans of the NWSL,

R T, Portland

N D, Portland Oregon

L T, Portland, OR

G D, Portland Oregon

M, Baltimore

O R, Portland

L, Tampa FL

H Z, Seattle, WA

B S, Newport

S; Cleveland, Ohio

J J Hometown, IL

S, New Jersey

L L, Lowell Ma

K G, Livermore CA

L T, Portland, Oregon

S, Portland

M, Coral Springs

C W, Minneapolis

J H, Martinsburg WV

C G, Cathedral City, CA

D G, Seattle

S R, Portland, OR

A MG, Folsom, PA

R W, Portland

I, Boston

H S, Seattle

M D, Kansas City

M L., Washington, DC

L B, Berkeley, CA

E, Chicago

J A, Bradenton FL

N A. Portland, OR

P A, Portland OR

D RC, Washington, D.C.

K S, Phoenix AZ

C G, Palm Bay, FL

F H-V, Los Angeles

S C from Vancouver, Canada

D L, Los Angeles

J G F, Portland, OR

J R, Los Angeles

C M — Los Angeles, CA

A D; San Jose, California

J H- Vancouver, WA

A G, San Francisco CA

E C: Raleigh, NC

K M, Portland, Oregon

K C, Portland, OR

K T, Vancouver WA

A A, Chicago

I M, Seattle

C G, Toronto

L B, Cary, NC

A O, Philadelphia

A philadelphia

Y F. — Chicago, IL

B K, Albuquerque NM

E S, San Jose, CA

E (Portland)

C K, Chicago

B K — Chicago

M S, San Francisco

A VDE (Copenhagen, Denmark; formerly NYC)

JR, New York

T J, Boston, MA

C N

P H, Seattle

M T L, Bellingham, WA

N, NYC

N M from Los Angeles, CA

D H, Portland, OR

T P Aurora, CO

M H of Portland, Oregon

K T, Los Angeles

M S, Los Angeles

N H, Israel

S B, Seattle

A, Los Angeles

P, Portland OR

L, Munich

E L, Long Beach, CA

M S, Malta

M S, Pembroke (UK)

P B Chicago,IL

G W, London

M P, Singapore

R, Bangalore, India

J, Charlotte NC

D C, Arlington TX

A A, Edwardsville, IL

L M, Chard

A P, Oakland California

K M, Middletown

K E, Wisconsin

B S, Cary, NC

E from Sacramento

G E, Falls Church, VA

S VT Chicago, IL

P, buffalo, ny

J B, Highland, NY

S H Chicago

C, New Jersey

R, Tacoma

J H — Columbus, OH

L R, Holland MI

S C-W, Portland, OR

J B, San Diego

R N, Seattle Wa.

J. H, Seattle.

A G, Vancouver Wa

D N, Bethesda, MD

K W, Seattle/Tacoma

N — Portland

E D — Albuquerque, NM

C G, Portland

M, Houston, TX

C B, St. Paul, MN

V Y, Oklahoma City, OK

S, Portland

R S Oregon City, OR

S J, Salt Lake City

J, Houston Texas

F H, Vancouver, WA

L G, Minneapolis, MN

K C, Madison Wisconsin

C N, Concord NC

L B, Fort Collins, CO

E B, Sacramento CA

L N (Vancouver, WA)

M R (Long Beach, CA)

K W, Edison New Jersey

K in Knoxville, TN

K M, Pittsburgh, PA

L T, Portland, OR

N A, Passaic NJ

A A, Stratford CT

G G, Stratford CT

A H — Clinton, IL

C W, Boston

A, Los Angeles

J G, Cincinnati

C C, Brooklyn NY

A S — Portland, OR

J A, Moncks Corner South Carolina

C — Burbank, CA

K Y, Columbus, OH

M J, Phoenix

L S, Newark

G S Washington DC

T G, Fort Worth, TX

J M — Kearny, NJ

K B, Gotham supporter (NYC exurb)

J B, Cleveland

H B, Harker Heights

A M, independence

S, New York

A P, Kansas City

R from Edison, NJ

M F. — New York, NY

M B, Washington DC

T H., Kansas City

M M (Orange County, CA)

S H, Northampton, MA

R- Austin, TX

E, Washington DC

S P., Portland OR

M B Boonton, NJ

M S, Saskatoon, SK, Canada

S E, Boston, MA

M. M of Eatontown, NJ

L D S, Seattle, WA

A N, Houston TX

C T

J, Chicago

Dr. N W, Lexington, KY

M. W, Suffolk, Virginia

M S, Chicago, IL

J C Jr. — Chicago Red Stars STH

D B E, Bettendorf IA

D H (Vancouver, BC) (Chicago Red Stars)

A from Decatur

Y V, Detroit

F P, Beaverton, OR

L M, Chicago, IL

C P, Washington DC

V T NYC

J D, Cortlandt Manor, NY

T P, Portland

S C-D, Minneapolis

B R, Jersey City, NJ

S D, Chicago

A M, Chicago, IL

A DY From Washington, DC

L E, Chicago

E, Portland, OR.

R K; Bronx, NY

A R, Denver, CO

U S Chicago, IL

M G, Washougal, Wa

M, Hayes

M W, SLC Utah

M G, Victoria, BC

M, Hillsborough, CA

A D, Newton ia

D.F. P, Wallingford, CT

D N from Long Island

B S, Arlington VA

F D NYC

J R

S, Whitman County, WA

L L, Chicago

J R, Philadelphia, PA

C W from Atlanta, GA

M J, Chicago

A L, Long Island NY

G M, Boston

J T, Columbus

A N (Columbus, OH)

A R — Cary

J F, Chicago, IL

A A, Cincinnati, OH

RJ S, Tucson AZ

A T, Barrington, IL (near Chicago!)

D R, Des Moines Iowa

S B, Oklahoma

T M, Kansas City

E K., Columbia, Mo.

M M, Kansas City

T M, NYC

S L

M A, Merlan, Chicago

J Z, Prairie Village, KS

D H, Chicago

M D (Madison, WI)

J S, Richmond, VA

C C, Klamath Falls, OR

J M, Denver

M N, Kansas City

J H, Arvada, CO

J B

P J, Chicago

N, Sacramento.

A (Silver Spring, MD)

A K, Chicago, IL (Red Stars STH)

V C, Olympia WA

L A, Franksville, WI

E N. Chicago, IL

K E, Chicago, IL

L S. Chicago

S, New York

H H; Detroit, Michigan

A P, Portland, OR

S T, Milwaukee, WI

P K- Chicago

J M, Toronto.

A, NYC

L VS, Chicago

E M, Toledo, OH

B G, Schaumburg, IL

B J — Kansas City, MO

S A, Portland Oregon

J P, Green Bay, WI

M C, Chicago

S W., Seattle/Portland/Berlin

S M, Chicago

E S, Dallas

C G, Chicago IL

C R, Kansas City

N B — Chicago

A, Austin, TX

E, Kansas City

T R; Knoxville, TN

T S, Baltimore, Md

A Fr, Kansas City

L D, Olympia WA

M R Knoxville, TN

A MC Horseshoe Bay, TX

V P, DC

A M, Roswell GA

N, Houghton, MI

C K, Wilton CT

B H, Raleigh, North carolina

R I.-Columbus,IN

C R, Albany,NY

T B — West Hempstead NY

A, IN

C W — Los Angeles

B N, New York, NY

T D, White Plains, NY

S L, Chicago

P B, Lindenhurst, NY

J W, Chicago

E MG, Kansas City

H Y, Renton, WA

K W, Omaha, Nebraska

K G, Overland Park, KS

S S, Renton, WA

L B, Roseland, NJ

T

J M, Mercersburg PA

J C, Chicago

E, Columbia MD

D S Washington, DC

M N, Vancouver WA

A T, Johnston, Iowa

R S, Chicago IL.

L, Winston-Salem

K S, Portland, OR

K H, Seattle, WA

J R., Shelton, CT

P A, Haledon, NJ

A Ks, Baltimore

C F, Boston, MA

K W Seattle, WA

J T Durham, NC

N S, Baltimore

C, Washington, DC

A B, Buffalo, NY

S J, NYC

D K glen ridge, nj

E B, Dallas, OR

A W, Las Vegas

L W, College Park MD

A G, Chicago

A W, Penn Valley, CA

M L, New York

J H, York, PA

B P, Kansas City

J H, Portland, Oregon

A B, Kansas City

M — Washington, D.C.

C S, Juneau, AK

M G

A B

K LT, Davie, Florida

S T, Washington, DC

D — Durham, NC

P K: San Antonio, TX

L K, Champaign, Illinois

D G, Lexington VA

F H, Chicago

A R, Philadelphia, PA

M, Chicago, IL

A M, Sacramento CA

V W Washington, DC

JD D, Sacramento

S (Harrisburg)

L P, Brooklyn, NY

V V, sarasota fl

S W, Portland, OR

L C, New Orleans, LA

R A, Kansas City

T M, Pittsburgh PA

T D, Portland, Oregon

H S, Chicago

J C III, Chicago

K M. Greenwich, CT

K B, Washington DC

A N, Mountain View, CA

O D, Boston, MA

A H, Tampa, FL

M M — Atlant

M M. San Diego, CA

B, New York

D H, Chicago

I H, Denver CO

M Me New York City

J O — Boston, MA

P H, Oakland, CA

K G from Kirkland, WA

L S Gunnison CO

A L G — Mexico City

A B; Alexandria, VA

B D, Bloomfield NJ

B L, Washington DC

A L D, Scarsdale NY

S M, Centreville

S LM, Toronto

R, Chicago

A, Oklahoma

L G, San Antonio TX

M MF, Pensacola FL

E C, Miami Beach, FL

J G, Boston, MA

C S, Seattle

B D; Washington DC

C, Toronto

A V, Edinburg TX

C F, Jersey City, NJ

A J, Turners Falls

N E (NC Courage season ticket holder), Cary, NC

K T, Virginia Beach, VA

L C Pittsburgh, PA

J G, brooklyn, ny

L L — Boston

F LdM, Florianópolis

M C Calgary, Alberta, Canada

M F, Pottstown PA

M W, Chicago

M M, Williams, Arizona

J- Los Angeles

L MC — Atlanta

A S — Tampa, FL

D B, Boise, Idaho

S M, Kiel

N P NY

H M, NYC

D P, Seattle

J MC, Seattle

M S — Portland ,OR

E B, Chicago

K W. Orstead Chicago

C R, Portland Oregon

A W, Tacoma, WA

A W, Indianapolis, Indiana

A G Flint, Michigan

K K, Portland OR

K, Tacoma

K G, Portland

J S, Frederick MD

A M, Portland

C H, Providence, RI

N D in Bellevue, Washington

J M. Lake Forest, CA

M S Portland OR

M G, Highland Heights, KY

A G; Lancaster, PA

E B, Salt Lake City

W W, Seattle, WA

Q N, San Diego

T D Chicago

J L, Vail CO

B F — Columbus, OH

A O, Greig, NY

S G S, Washington DC

E E, Berkeley CA

E R, Minneapolis

K R, Mount Prospect

C W, Van Buren Charter Twp

M, Chicago

A T- Columbia, SC

P R. Tempe, AZ

E M, Portland ME

M, Chicago

K R, Ithaca NY

K B, Bloomington, IL

E B. Portland.

E S., Indianapolis

E, New York

C P, Long Island, New York

D G, Point Pleasant, NJ

C E Greenville,NC

S P, Westminster

Y, Los Angeles

C F, Buenos Aires

K C, Seattle

W from Denver, CO

S L, Oakland CA

A M — New York

I D, Los Angeles

D K-W — Portland

L H, Sacramento California

C M, Philadelphia

H J, Portland, OR

M N, Chicago, IL

E S. Yakima, WA.

N K, Chicago

A M, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Z, Paris

A L, Nevada, Iowa

J E, Newport News,VA

B J lives in nigeria

K C, Nakło Śląskie (international fan)

A C, Nakło Śląskie (international fan)

S V

J F, Brooklyn NY

S C, Narragansett, RI

E E — Richmond, VA

J- England,UK

M V, brooklyn, ny

K F, Brooklyn NYC

B K. Cox (Manor, TX)

B G. — San Antonio

K, Tacoma

A, Ruston

M, Seattle

D, Seattle

A, canton

M — Kuwait City, Kuwait

A W from East Lansing, MI

D Z, Boston MA

M MD, Portland, OR

Kristy, Houston

C F, Middletown, NJ

R Y, Vancouver, WA

K W, Livermore, CA

M S, West Babylon New York

P K, Portland, OR

K MP, Florissant, MO

N F — Piscataway, NJ

R M, Southgate, MI

L G, Chicago

M, Chicago

M G

L C, Oak Lawn, IL

J F, Portland OR

T F, Washington DC

R B Edmonton

M L, Denver

H K. Austin, TX

T T, Portland Oregon

C H-Salem, OR

M W, Minneapolis, MN

T C — Ventura, CA

E W, Oakland, California

K R, Chicago, IL

E W, Lansing, MI

J E, Arlington, VA

R F, Salt Lake City

K E, New Haven County, CT

B G. Charlotte, NC

R, Los Angeles

S B; Philadelphia, PA

L S, Austin TX

K G, Silver Spring, MD

N T — Champaign, IL

J J, Minneapolis

N Z, NYC

V C, Portland, OR

M, Louisville

M V, Los Angeles

D S, Reno, NV

R R, New London, CT

J S, Madison, WI

D, Livermore

C H, San Antonio, TX

M D, Sacramento

J AF, Pasadena, CA

B R, Chicago

C G, Austin TX

M M, Portland, OR

K T (Portland fan in NYC)

K, NJ

H B, portland, ore.

L , Portland

L, PDX

J G, Philadelphia

M H, Louisville, KY — Racing Louisville

J W, Portland OR

L B from Ellicott City, MD

A B, Washington, DC

N L P, Seattle (OL Reign)

D H, Silver Spring MD

C, Somerville MA

S E J, Los Angeles, CA

Anonymous Fort Worth, Texas USA

A W, Fort Worth, Texas

M J, Columbus, Ohio

J E, Virginia

B K, Tacoma, Washington

J T, Reno, Nevada

RRH, Rhododendron, Oregon