Meg is joined by Steph Yang on a special live room edition of Full Time. They go through the entire NWSL league and preview the Challenge Cup. What should we expect? Which teams are the favorites?

Challenge Cup preview: https://theathletic.com/3194346/2022/03/18/2022-nwsl-challenge-cup-guide-tournament-format-match-schedule-where-to-watch-and-more/

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On Wednesday, the NWSL announced they had found their new commissioner — and Jessica Berman joins Full Time on day one (though her official start date isn’t until April 20 ahead of the regular season). It’s a giant role to step into considering the events of 2021 for the NWSL, and the future ahead — so time to find out what Berman’s approach to the role will be over the next four years.

Follow Jessica Berman on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessicaBerman1

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Paul Tenorio is back and ready to discuss all things U.S. Soccer — from how the men’s national team will play a role in the USWNT equal pay settlement and CBA negotiations, to the new TV deal for the USMNT and USWNT, to the upcoming presidential election between Cindy Parlow Cone and Carlos Cordeiro this weekend. 

Follow Paul on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaulTenorio

Where things stand following the USWNT’s settlement with U.S. Soccer (by Meg): https://theathletic.com/3147035/2022/02/23/where-things-stand-following-the-uswnts-settlement-with-u-s-soccer/

U.S. Soccer agrees to 8-year English-language media rights deal with Turner Sports and HBO (by Paul Tenorio and Sam Stejskal): https://theathletic.com/news/us-soccer-agrees-to-8-year-english-language-media-rights-deal-with-turner-sports-and-hbo/qqZYBuQLCEfI/

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Meg Linehan and Steph Yang react to the USWNT players settlement with U.S. Soccer on a brand new live room on The Athletic!

Meg's story: https://theathletic.com/news/uswnt-players-reach-settlement-with-us-soccer-for-total-of-24-million-in-pay-discrimination-lawsuit/BXmnGmymxK4b/

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This week’s guest is Molly Hensley-Clancy of the Washington Post, who discusses her investigative reporting on former Chicago Red Stars head coach Rory Dames at the NWSL and youth levels and the 2018 investigation done by U.S. Soccer, as well as the news of Michele Kang becoming majority owner of the Washington Spirit.

Follow Molly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mollyhc

Read her latest story here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/02/08/rory-dames-eclipse-select-misconduct-allegations/

And on the players’ letter to Carlos Cordeiro and Cindy Parlow Cone: https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/02/09/uswnt-letter-us-soccer-rory-dames/

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Sarah Gregorius, FIFPRO’s Director of Policy & Strategy for Women’s Football, joins Full Time to discuss a new report from the organization on player workload. We focus in on the NWSL and the USWNT, and discuss how the schedule is ultimately the key to everything (at least when it comes to player workload). Plus: a historic CBA for the NWSL Players’ Association and the NWSL preseason started on time!

Follow Sarah on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarah_grego

Read the 2021 FIFPRO Player Workload Monitoring Report: https://www.fifpro.org/en/player-iq-hub/player-workload-monitoring-platform/lack-of-games-and-calendar-hold-back-women-s-football

Our initial news report on the CBA: https://theathletic.com/news/nwsl-players-association-ratifies-first-collective-bargaining-agreement/FxEH2fT5REqS/

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It’s 2022, and Full Time is back! Meg and Steph catch up on the major events of the year so far, especially the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations between the players’ association and the NWSL, plus the ongoing ownership saga of the Washington Spirit and plenty more.

Follow Steph Yang on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thrace

Meg’s report on a potential work stoppage: https://theathletic.com/news/nwsl-players-wont-report-to-clubs-without-cba-in-place-sources/6Lq02CrVJBBr/

The latest NWSLPA statement: https://twitter.com/nwsl_players/status/1486087651271020545

NWSL board approves ownership changes to the Washington Spirit: https://theathletic.com/news/nwsl-board-approves-michele-kangs-acquisition-of-additional-washington-spirit-shares/f6lYpjP2y2Wn/

Steph on North Carolina and Jaelene Daniels: https://theathletic.com/3085015/2022/01/21/north-carolina-courage-leaderships-response-to-jaelene-daniels-backlash-worsens-growing-disconnect-with-fans/

Statement from the Portland Thorns players: https://twitter.com/sincy12/status/1485756823307096064

And a statement from the team on their investigation: https://twitter.com/itsmeglinehan/status/1486372083970064385

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NWSL Players Association executive director Meghann Burke and former player Mana Shim join Full Time to discuss a new initiative designed to support NWSL players: an emergency fund that will assist current and former players with financial hardships, from car repairs to mental health resources, by putting money directly in their pockets.

For more on the emergency fund and to donate: https://supporttheplayers.net/

Follow the NWSL PA on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nwsl_players

Follow Mana Shim on Twitter: https://twitter.com/meleanashim

The latest on the Washington Spirit at The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/3016004/

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The trades are done (for now, sort of) and Meg and Steph immediately hopped on Zoom to react to the protected and unprotected lists for the upcoming NWSL Expansion Draft as soon as they dropped on Friday. Real-time reactions, ruminating about the nature of the draft itself, plus some suggestions on additional programming for the broadcast — just tossing this out here, but if you’re going to put retired players on the list, then we deserve a NWSL retired player combine.

The NWSL trade tracker (free to read): https://theathletic.com/live-blogs/nwsl-trade-tracker-sam-mewis-to-kc-current-sarah-gorden-and-julie-ertz-to-angel-city-and-more/DQSpUFTtvqRa/

The protected/unprotected lists: https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/nwsl-releases-protected-lists-ahead-of-2022-nwsl-expansion-draft-presented-by-ally

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Meg and Steph tackle the new-look USWNT’s performance in the final games of the year against Australia, before digging into one of the wildest NWSL trade windows ever (and it’s not even quite done yet) ahead of the NWSL expansion draft for Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC. 

The NWSL trade tracker (free to read): https://theathletic.com/live-blogs/nwsl-trade-tracker-sam-mewis-to-kc-current-sarah-gorden-and-julie-ertz-to-angel-city-and-more/DQSpUFTtvqRa/

Meg and Steph on the USWNT players trending in the right direction after the Australia games: https://theathletic.com/2991655/2021/12/01/the-uswnt-players-trending-toward-more-playing-time-in-2022-after-the-matches-against-australia/

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