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Trinity Rodman Got Her Net… Worth

What’s going on: Soccer star Trinity Rodman isn’t just shifting the goalposts — she’s transforming the field. Earlier this month, the Washington Spirit forward signed a three-year contract to stay in DC, scoring a blockbuster $2 million per year deal and becoming the National Women’s Soccer League’s highest-paid player. But this moment almost didn’t happen — and only played out after tense negotiations. At one point, Rodman was even considering interest from European clubs, where top female players tend to get paid closer to their actual worth. The game-saving play? It came from Spirit owner Michele Kang and NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman, who made use of the recently rewritten rules on player salaries in order to compete with Rodman’s other offers. Now that’s something to celebrate.  

Our take: Rodman cashed in on her leverage as one of the league’s most marketable athletes. But this deal is uncharted territory, not necessarily a new baseline. Most elite women athletes, across leagues, won’t see numbers like Rodman’s no matter how dominant or marketable they are — due in large part to hard salary caps. For perspective, the top end of the 2025 base salary for WNBA players hovered around $250,000. Zoom out further, and you’ll find that no woman made Sportico’s list of the 100 highest-paid athletes last year. Cristiano Ronaldo topped it at $260M. So yes, women’s sports are booming in visibility and demand, but pay still trails astronomically. Rodman’s deal proves change is possible — and could serve as the game plan for other women athletes.

Related: This Actress Just Got Drafted for a Leading Soccer Role (The Hollywood Reporter)

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