NWSL Fines Kansas City Current Forward Michelle Cooper Over Cleats Logo

Kansas City Current forward Michelle Cooper has been fined $500 for showing the New Balance cleats logo during a match, sparking debate over the NWSL's footwear exposure agreement policy.

What happened?

Cooper scored her first of two goals against the Denver Summit FC last Friday and celebrated by gesturing towards her bright New Balance Furon Elite V9 cleats. The moment cost her $500, as the league has implemented a new policy limiting which brands can be displayed during matches.

Why it matters for Kansas City Current

The NWSL Players Association has been in discussions with the league about grandfathering in existing endorsement agreements, including Cooper's NIL deal with New Balance. The union's position is that the program violates players' rights under the collective bargaining agreement as well as the standard play agreement.

What comes next?

The NWSLPA will appeal the fine and file a grievance shortly. However, because the NWSLPA is filing a grievance with the league, under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, the league is not permitted to collect fines until the issue is resolved.

Cooper, 23, denied making a point specific to the policy. Instead, she said she was celebrating her cleats. "I just think my cleats allow me to do what I do and score goals," Cooper said postmatch. "To be able to put that (goal) away, and we debuted a new colorway, it is super awesome. So I just wanted to show that off a little bit. I love my cleats."

The league has declined to comment on whether they have started giving players fines. The NWSL previously gave Cooper a warning during the Challenge Cup for showing the New Balance logo.

As part of the footwear framework introduced ahead of the Challenge Cup on June 26, the NWSL requires boot manufacturers to pay for the right to display their logos during matches. The NWSLPA has been in discussions with the league about grandfathering in existing endorsement agreements, including Cooper's NIL deal with New Balance.

The union's position is that the program violates players' rights under the collective bargaining agreement as well as the standard play agreement. "We've really tried to work with the league to support its commercial objectives," Meghann Burke, the executive director of NWSLPA, told The Athletic. "We understand this is a revenue-generating initiative, and that's ultimately a positive for everyone. What's frustrating is that they're taking money out of players' pockets by refusing to adopt the same grandfathering language that exists in other professional leagues."

The NWSLPA said they will appeal the fine and file a grievance shortly. However, because the NWSLPA is filing a grievance with the league, under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, the league is not permitted to collect fines until the issue is resolved.

What's next for Michelle Cooper?

Cooper is the only player who has been fined so far. Chicago Stars FC forward Jordyn Huitema, who also wears New Balance cleats, has not been fined. New Balance did not respond to The Athletic's request to comment on its negotiations with the league.

The NWSLPA will continue to work with the league to resolve the issue. In the meantime, Cooper will have to pay the fine. But the debate over the NWSL's footwear exposure agreement policy is far from over.