The blows happened in succession.
One after another, three of the Red Stars’ longest-tenured players announced they wouldn’t re-sign with the club.
First, midfielder Danielle Colaprico’s decision to sign a multiyear deal with San Diego FC was announced, followed by midfielder Morgan Gautrat’s exit for Kansas City FC. The third departure hit the hardest when local product Vanessa DiBernardo announced she, too, would be moving on from the organization that drafted her in 2014, joining Gautrat in Kansas City.
It’s easy to make assumptions about the reasons behind the exits, which have left the Red Stars’ midfield in disarray. After allegations of verbal and emotional abuse by former coach Rory Dames were reported last year and detailed in two investigations over the last three months, who could blame them for starting a new chapter in their careers? Factor in majority owner Arnim Whisler’s knowledge of Dames’ abusive behavior and failure to remove him, and it’s an open-and-shut case.
The Red Stars are not a destination for top free agents.
“I wanted to be at a good organization, a great team and have a great coach that could help me develop,” Colaprico said. “Those were the main things, and after that, I thought about where I could see myself living.”
Colaprico engaged with five teams before ultimately determining San Diego was the best fit.
Beyond Colaprico’s desire to play for Casey Stoney in San Diego, the high-quality setting exemplary of a true professional sports franchise was exciting for the young star. Similar to DiBernardo and Gautrat in Kansas City.
“The organization, the ownership, the facilities, everything in Kansas City is world-class,” Gautrat said. “I’ve always wanted to experience something like this where the support is there, the resources are there and the team is there.”
The Red Stars, known notoriously around the league as one of the poorest franchises, are in a precarious situation as clubs around the league are increasing investment. They are at a standstill as their ousted majority owner attempts to sell the club.
This was the first free-agency period in the league’s nearly 11-year history after the first collective-bargaining agreement was ratified ahead of the 2022 season. The CBA negotiated by the NWSLPA and the league introduced higher salaries and health benefits along with free agency and other notable improvements.
Early in free agency, defender Arin Wright and forward Yuki Nagasato opted to re-sign with the Red Stars. Other than those two re-signings, the organization has not made any significant splash and has instead hemorrhaged players.
Forward Kealia Watt is the Red Stars’ last remaining free agent who has yet to announce where she’ll play when she returns from maternity leave. The losses of Colaprico, Gautrat, DiBernardo and forward Rachel Hill have left many fans to question what the future of the organization will look like.
Whisler’s sale of the club opens the possibility for the franchise to be bought and absorbed by impending expansion clubs. Two new franchises are expected to join the league by 2024. Whisler did not reveal plans for the club’s future other than that he has engaged New York City investment bank Inner Circle Sports to facilitate the sale, but the hope is that it will remain in Chicago.
Whether the organization remains in Chicago, the exit of three franchise staples is a warning that a successful club depends on owners who value and protect players first.
“I wanted to be part of an organization that puts the players first, full stop,” Gautrat said. “That’s something that I’ve missed in my career.”
