Jessica Berman

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Jessica Berman
2023 NWSL Challenge Cup final, 563 (Berman).jpg
Berman in 2023
Commissioner of the National Women's Soccer League
Incumbent
Assumed office
April 20, 2022

Jessica Berman (born 1977) [1] [2] is an American lawyer who has served as the commissioner of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) since 2022.

Contents

Early life

Berman grew up in a Conservative Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York. [3] She attended East Midwood Jewish Center. She was the manager of the boys' baseball team at James Madison High School. [4] She then earned a bachelor's degree in sports management from the University of Michigan, [3] where she was an assistant manager of the men's hockey team. [4] [5] After Michigan, Berman attended Fordham University for law school, and graduated in 2002. [5]

Career

After graduating from Fordham, Berman joined the law firm Proskauer Rose as an associate working in the labor and employment department. [5] At Proskauer Rose, she was a member of the team that negotiated an end to the 2004–05 NHL lockout and a new 10-year collective bargaining agreement between the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players' Association. [4] [6]

In 2006, Berman moved in-house to the NHL after more than 3 years at Proskauer Rose. [6] Over her 13 years with the league, she rose to become the NHL's deputy general counsel and vice president of community development. [5] Her responsibilities included the league's corporate social responsibility efforts and running the NHL Foundation. [3] [7] During Berman's tenure in the NHL, she was viewed as a candidate to eventually become the first female commissioner of a men's professional sports league, [4] and she was named a "Forty under 40" by Sports Business Journal in 2014. [6]

In 2019, she was named the deputy commissioner and executive vice president of business affairs of the National Lacrosse League (NLL), becoming the first female deputy commissioner of a men's professional sports league. [3] At the NLL, Berman was responsible for the league's growth and legal affairs. [5]

On March 8, 2022, Berman was named commissioner of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the highest professional women's soccer league in the United States, for a 4-year term that began on April 20. [1] [3] The NWSL had been without a permanent commissioner since the resignation of Lisa Baird in October 2021. Berman's hiring process was the first to include player interviews, a demand in the wake of the 2021 NWSL abuse scandal. [7]

On May 22, 2024, Berman won the Sports Business Journal's 2024 Executive of the Year award. [8]

On May 9, 2025, Angel City FC defender Savy King collapsed on the field and had a heart attack, resulting in her needing serious medical attention including an AED and chest compressions on the field [9] . Jessica Berman, as commissioner, did not stop the game and instead required players to continue playing, despite all players, coaches, and announcers being distraught [10] . Berman eventually admitted the game should have stopped and NWSLPA President, Meghann Burke, pushed for the creation of new rules surrounding these medical events [10] [11] .

In the later half of the 2025 season, attention turned to Berman relating to Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman's upcoming free agency. Berman stated, on more than one occasion, that "We want Trinity in our league and we will fight for her," [12] however when the Spirit proposed a deal that was completely cap-compliant to keep Trinity in the league, Berman unilaterally denied it [13] . This deal is now subject to arbitration and the grievance process as filed by the NWSLPA on Rodman's behalf [14] .

Personal life

Jessica Berman lives in Westchester County, New York with her husband and two children. Her family belongs to the Westchester Jewish Center. In 2023, Berman was awarded the David J. Stern Leadership Award by the UJA-Federation of New York. [3] [4]

References

  1. 1 2 Baker, Kendall (April 26, 2022). "Jessica Berman takes NWSL reins". Axios . Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  2. ↑ Berman, Jessica [@JessicaBerman1] (August 26, 2022). "Looking for advice about whether turning 45 is a good or bad thing..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gurvis, Jacob (September 7, 2023). "For National Women's Soccer League commissioner Jessica Berman, growing women's soccer starts with Jewish values". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Kuttler, Hillel (September 6, 2015). "NHL lawyer may become first female head of men's sports league". Times of Israel . Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 DeGregorio, Erin (March 18, 2022). "Alumni Spotlight: Jessica Berman '02, Incoming Commissioner of the National Women's Soccer League". Fordham Law News. Fordham University. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 "Forty Under 40: Jessica Berman". Sports Business Journal . March 10, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  7. 1 2 Herrera, Sandra (March 9, 2022). "Jessica Berman hired as next NWSL commissioner ahead of new season". CBS Sports . Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  8. ↑ Friend, Tom (May 22, 2024). "NWSL Commissioner Jesssica Berman is first woman to win SBA for Executive of the Year". sportsbusinessjournal.com.
  9. ↑ "Angel City's King 'stable' after on-field collapse". ESPN.com. May 10, 2025. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
  10. 1 2 Griffin, Tamerra (May 18, 2025). "NWSL commissioner on decision to play after Savy King's collapse: 'All we could do is learn'". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved December 5, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Jessica Berman Makes Her Priorities Clear | Defector". defector.com. May 20, 2025. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
  12. ↑ "NWSL vows to 'fight' to keep Rodman in league". ESPN.com. November 20, 2025. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
  13. ↑ Linehan, Meg (December 4, 2025). "NWSL rejects Spirit's multimillion-dollar offer to keep Trinity Rodman in league: Sources". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved December 5, 2025.
  14. ↑ "NWSLPA files grievance on vetoed Rodman offer". ESPN.com. December 4, 2025. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
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