Jessica Berman’s Net Worth and Estimated Salary

There are figures in sports that deserve to be admired, and one of them is Jessica Berman. Berman had built a reputation as one of the most influential executives in sports. Now serving as Commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), she is credited with guiding the league into a new era of growth. While her leadership achievements have been widely covered, many fans wonder about the financial side of things. Here is what you need to know about Jessica Berman’s net worth and estimated salary.

Jessica Berman’s net worth: What’s known and what’s estimated

While it is easy to figure out someone’s salary when it comes to public corporations, this isn’t the case with the NWSL. Privately run sports leagues, such as the NWSL, aren’t required to disclose executive pay. That means that Jessica Berman’s net worth and salary aren’t publicly available. It is still possible to make an estimated guess based on past public records.

A record from Berman’s past was when she was the Deputy Commissioner of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). At that time, public tax filings show that she earned about $288,175 in annual compensation in 2023. In 2022, Berman earned $372,298. In the same filings, the league’s commissioner was paid over $1.3 million. All this data is according to ProPublica. This could serve as an example of commissioner pay in similar organizations. It helps to make a guess about Berman’s possible salary range.

Since becoming the NWSL Commissioner in 2022, Berman has overseen significant growth, including a landmark $240 million media rights deal with CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime Video, and scripps. According to the 2023 Heidrick & Struggles Private Equity-Backed Chief Executive Officer Compensation Survey, the average base salary for someone with Berman’s position is between $409,000 and $472,000. This applies to companies that have annual revenue between $51 million and $250 million; this is close to the NWSL’s reported revenue. The total annual compensation, including bonuses, is probably around $663,000 to $826,000.

With this data in mind, an estimate of Jessica Berman’s net worth is probably between $2 million to $6 million. This is taking into consideration her executive roles at the NHL and the NLL.

Why exact numbers aren’t public

There is no way to know the exact amount of Jessica Berman’s net worth. This is due to two reasons, with the main one being the private status of the NWSL. Due to this, the league has no obligation to disclose what it pays executives and employees. In other terms, their financial filings aren’t public record. Another reason is that Berman might prefer personal financial privacy. Information regarding net worth is supposed to be confidential, so it is difficult to know it if it wasn’t shared. This explains why Jessica Berman’s net worth can only be guessed.

Jessica Berman’s career and impact

Aside from Jessica Berman’s net worth, no one can deny the successes she has had throughout her career. She took several positions with the latest one being that of the NWSL Commissioner. In all the roles she was appointed to, Berman managed to leave an impact behind her. Here are the important steps in her career.

Early legal career and NHL contributions

Jessica Berman’s career began in law after she graduated from Fordham University. She worked at the law firm Proskauer Rose and that was where she helped negotiate the NHL collective bargaining agreement following the 2004-2005 work stoppage. This is according to Forbes.

The next step was when Berman joined the National Hockey League (NHL). She spent 13 years with the league and held several positions throughout. She managed to become Deputy General Counsel and Vice President of Community Development. Her responsibilities in this role included leading the NHL Foundation.

Breaking ground in the National Lacrosse League

Jessica Berman’s next step was at the NLL. In 2019, Berman became the Deputy Commissioner and Executive Vice President of Business Affairs at the NLL. According to Forbes, this made her the first woman to hold such a senior role in a men’s professional league. It’s possible to know more about Jessica Berman’s net worth because her compensation back then was made public.

Leading the NWSL through transformation

Jessica Berman’s biggest point in her career has to be when she joined the NWSL. In 2022, she was appointed commissioner of the NWSL, following a period of turmoil. This made this career step her biggest challenge so far. As soon as she went into office, Berman began restoring trust between players, fans, and leadership.

She outlined her approach in an interview with Axios. Her statement was evidence that she planned to make a change from the start. “My approach will be one driven by listening and learning. [We must] acknowledge the issues of the past in order for our players to feel comfortable that we as a league, and I as a commissioner, fully recognize how that impacted their experience,” said Berman. “Our objective was to make the NWSL a place where the players were proud to play. That was going to be our singular focus,” she also told Sports Illustrated.

Her most significant achievement so far has been negotiating the league’s $240 million media rights deal. Its previous deal was $4.5 million, which just shows how far the NWSL has come. According to The Cut, Berman also accelerated collective bargaining agreements that included maternity protections, free agency rights, and better player pay. She is leading the league into an era of expansion and empowerment. Berman’s work has also earned recognition because she was named the Sports Business Journal’s 2024 Executive of the Year and the Sports Illustrated’s 2024 Innovator of the Year.

Jessica Berman is more than her net worth

While Jessica Berman’s net worth can’t be confirmed, evidence suggests that her annual compensation as NWSL Commissioner might be around $850,000. Her net worth is also predicted to be around $2 million and $6 million. The absence of exact figures is due to the league’s private nature and Berman’s privacy as well.

Aside from Jessica Berman’s net worth, her impact is undeniable. She has guided the NWSL into a new era of financial stability, player empowerment, and more global recognition. Jessica Berman’s influence means a lot more than her net worth.

Do you think Jessica Berman changed the NWSL for the better?