A change in the calendar from a summer slate to a fall-to-spring schedule has been brewing in the National Women's Soccer League. The league is also no longer expected to hold a controversial vote. Amidst this, Midge Purce broke her silence on the situation.

The National Women’s Soccer League reconsidered the scheduled voting for a fall-to-spring format, which could’ve changed the league’s current trajectory. And talking about it, Purce expressed why she is against it.

“It's really frustrating that the players aren't being considered more,” the Gotham FC star said on the April 28th episode of the Front Office Sports interview. “The problem is that we don't have the facilities to support us playing in a cold market. It becomes an actual detriment and issue for player health and safety.”

The National Women's Soccer League follows a spring-to-fall schedule. It is in contrast to many European leagues that run through the winter months. ESPN reported that the league planned to vote on a calendar shift at meetings in Portland.

Still, the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association has said most players are against the change, noting that not all clubs are equipped for winter play.

"To hear that this is being so heavily considered without first making sure that we can support players' health and safety in this type, we can't even really do it now. So I'm very against it," said Purce.

If it follows Major League Soccer’s lead, the National Women's Soccer League could play into early December, then take a midwinter break, and return in early to mid-February.

It is a format that has worked for MLS, whose 30 teams include cold-weather markets such as Canada and Minnesota. These are the locations that are not yet part of the NWSL landscape.

However, the league announced a continuation of the current schedule through 2030. But there is a possibility of changes taking place in the future.

While Purce firmly called this voting scenario “disheartening”, she wasn’t the only one who was against this.

Trinity Rodman Echoed Midge Purce’s Sentiment

A calendar change is much more about dates. The National Women’s Soccer League Players Association stressed after ESPN’s report that no National Women's Soccer League team has a roofed stadium, and shared venues would face even tougher scheduling conflicts.

After Purce, the Washington Spirit forward, Trinity Rodman, doubled down on the concerns.

“I just think we have to be fully prepared and have backup plans if we do potentially decide to do that,” she said. “But right now, I just think there are way too many locations that are going to be snowing in the middle of the season. So I don’t know if I’m fully for it at the moment.”

Per Rodman, this decision hadn’t been “fully thought through.”

Moving forward, what do you think about a reverse calendar setting, if it is ever to take place? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Deblina Roy