August 22 – The delicate balance between weather, player safety and live television has been put to the test this summer with the FIFA Club World Cup and now, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
According to multiple sources, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman threatened to fine the Kansas City Current after their match against the Orlando Pride was delayed for over three hours as heat procedure protocols were followed.
Both teams had grave concerns over the heat, which exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celcius) at the scheduled 3 pm Central Time kickoff, so the game was delayed until 6:28 pm, however, this interfered with the TV schedule.
The well-placed sources said Berman told the KC Current owners that the team could be fined for breaking protocols by asking for a heat check after the league had decided to push on with the scheduled 3 pm start time.
Both teams had previously requested the game be pushed back, but that request was denied.
The NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA) also raised concerns over potential high temperatures for a midday August game in the city as early as January, when the schedule was drafted.
“We, under the (collective bargaining agreement), are entitled to see a drafted schedule before it is publicly released,” said NWSLPA executive director Meghann Burke. “Internally, we flagged that a 3 p.m. kickoff in Kansas City in August was probably going to have a problem with the extreme heat issues that we’re seeing this summer.”
Pride head coach Seb Hines told reporters after the match he was “disappointed” with how the delay unfolded.
“It was too hot to play, and we would have liked that decision to have been made earlier on, before warm-up, so they can probably prep a little bit better,” Hines said. “It was a lot of waiting around: ‘We’re going to test the wet bulb, ’ ‘Another 15 minutes,’ and there’s a lot of confusion and lack of communication as well on what the next steps were.”
“Overall, I was disappointed with the decision-making before the six o’clock kickoff, but once we got there, that was in the best interest of the players and everyone here, and even the fans as well,” Hines said. “It’s brutal, three o’clock, sun’s beaming. We have to have the best interest for everyone who’s involved here at the stadium.”
Not surprisingly, the game was played at walking pace and ended up being a 0-0 snoozer.
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