Jessica Berman Is Taking The Nwsl To New Heights

Photo-Illustration: by The Cut

The National Women’s Soccer League was facing a watershed moment when Jessica Berman came on as commissioner in 2022. The previous season had been roiled by revelations of systemic abuse and sexual misconduct, leading U.S. Soccer to launch an independent investigation and the previous commissioner to resign. Against a backdrop of growing interest in women’s sports, players and fans’ trust in the league had all but disintegrated: “Burn it all down,” soccer legend Megan Rapinoe tweeted then in frustration.

Berman, a former labor lawyer who’d worked for the National Hockey League and as deputy commissioner of the National Lacrosse League, didn’t waste any time. She oversaw media negotiations that took the NWSL from a $4.5 million deal with CBS to a $240 million contract across multiple broadcasters. Berman also initiated a new collective-bargaining agreement two years ahead of schedule. She hashed out a deal with the players association in 2024 that included revenue sharing, expanded paid maternity leave, and significantly higher salaries to attract talent from across the globe. “I think a lot about our vision of being the best league in the world, and what are the obstacles that stand in the way of us achieving that,” she says. And with the NWSL’s 2025 season kicking off on March 14, Berman, who was recently named Sports Illustrated’s Innovator of the Year, is focused on storytelling. “We want everyone to know who these players are, and to care about them and their success and to follow their journeys.” Berman lives in Westchester County, New York with her husband and two sons; here’s how she gets it done.

On her morning routine:
I start my morning with two to three cups of coffee with oat milk, a glass of water with crushed ice, Barry’s Bootcamp two to three times a week, cuddles with my three dogs, hugs to my husband and my son who still lives at home, and a phone call to my mom.

On wearing many hats:
The NWSL is not the NFL, for example, in terms of how we operate. We are much more like a start-up. It requires a degree of scrappiness — it doesn’t have to be pretty if you get the job done. I’m the CEO and the entire organization ladders up to me. I’m responsible for the day-to-day business and for reporting to and managing our board of governors, the owners of the 16 teams in our league. I maintain the relationship with our players association and our media and brand partners. Then there’s the external-facing part of the job, where I’m speaking at events or meeting with potential investors. Any given day will be different, depending on where we are in the season.

On not setting boundaries:
I really do love to work. Sometimes my kids will ask me, “Who’s telling you that you have to work right now? It’s Sunday morning at 7 a.m.!” And I’m like, “No one!” I feel responsible in a deep way for the success of this league. I’ve shifted my perspective over the last five to ten years to think not about boundaries, but about fluidity. My work life and my personal life have to co-exist. It’s anathema to how people used to think about it, where you tried to create separation. I felt that it was exhausting to try to set up these artificial boundaries that I couldn’t maintain. There were times when my family needed me that was supposed to be work time, and there were times when my work needed me that was supposed to be family time. I was left feeling like I was disappointing everyone, including myself. So I just live in what I describe as a 24-hour efficiency cycle, where sometimes I’m sleeping, sometimes I’m working, sometimes I’m with my kids. Depending on what’s going on in any one of those spheres, I over- or under-index so that I’m just trying to be present.

On parenting like a CEO:
They laugh when I say this, but when they were little, I almost treated my kids like they were employees. You would never ask someone who works for you to do something without explaining why. You’d give them context and say, “Here’s what I need from you, and here’s why it matters.” That’s what I have always done with my kids. When I was at the NHL in 2012 and we were negotiating the collective-bargaining agreement during the work stoppage, my kids were 5 and 2. I told them we were writing a book, and it’s really important because it explains all the rules, and that without the rules, we can’t play. Every day, they would say, “How’s the book coming? What page are you on?” And I’d tell them, “I’m on page 100 of 250,” to give them something to understand. They were invested in getting the book done.

On asking for help:
I have family who pitch in and I had babysitter support to help at home when my kids were young, but I did have my share of challenges. Right after the NHL work stoppage, my former husband had a stroke. Figuring out how to recalibrate was a true test of resilience. I also was a single parent for a period of time. Ultimately, I found that if you are doing work that has an impact on society, like working in sports does, people want to be part of that. And I’m really good at asking for help. A lot of support — especially in times where child-care challenges were pervasive in my life — came from friends. I’d just say, “Hey, I need your help today. Could you drop off dinner for the kids?” Or friends would say, “I’m taking my kids out for dinner. Shall I grab yours?” I used to describe it like running a marathon. I feel like there are thousands of people running with me. If you give people the chance to show up for you, they usually will.

On learning from mistakes:
I have a very clear view of what success looks like, and mistakes I’ve made usually center around whether to manage outcomes closely or not. I have failed or haven’t been successful when I hold on too tight. This is something that a lot of CEOs struggle with: creating accountability, and knowing that you can’t do it all yourself. You have to let go in order to scale a business. You have to give people the opportunity to be in the driver’s seat.

On self-care:
I am able to refill my tank pretty effectively and efficiently. I know the warning signs. My mom’s a psychologist and I’ve been in therapy on and off my whole life. As long as I pay attention to those signals, I only need an afternoon. I know the things that recharge my battery and I’m very fortunate that those things are accessible to me. For example, those warning signs start showing up quickly when I stop making time for exercise. Also, my guilty pleasure is foot massages. And laying on the couch with my dogs, or going for a walk with my husband or my kids. My kids are now at this age where they’re really fun and easy to be around. It used to be that when they were younger, I needed a break, but now they’re part of my rest and recovery.

On the future of the NWSL:
My primary focus is ensuring we’re ready to launch the season in as big a way as possible. I’m making sure our clubs are ready, that they’ve thought through the full plan, and that I’m prepared to support them. I sometimes say, “Put me in coach!” My job is to stand at the ready, to make sure that they feel really solid about how we’re going to go to market. That’s the really interesting thing about sports relative to other businesses: The season starts, and ready or not, the curtain goes up.

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.