Previous employees of the NWSL’s San Diego Wave have accused the team and its leader, two- moment World Cup- winning U. S. Women’s National Team sports instructor Jill Ellis, of fostering an abusive environment within the club—allegations the team denied.
In a social media post Wednesday, former league video Brittany Alvarado wrote that “over 30 people have been fired or quit” since the group’s founding ahead of the 2022 NWSL time,” with 75 % of them being girls”.
Alvarado continued to make claims that the NWSL, which was the subject of studies into harsh workplaces in several of its clubs that concluded in 2022, “turned a blind eye to a style of genuinely harmful behaviors” in the Wave business.

According to Alvarado, the treatment of people under Ellis has been “absolutely life-changing and damaging to our emotional health,” adding that the group has not completely addressed and implemented the tips from the Sally Yates Report and the NWSLPA Joint Investigation from 2022, which were intended to stop abuses in NWSL clubs.
In response, the Wave released a statement on their official social media accounts denying the allegations, saying the former employee’s posts contain “inaccurate and defamatory statements about the club” and” a fabricated email”.
The club “intends to pursue all legal avenues in appropriate response to this matter,” according to The Wave post, who claimed that the allegations were” categorically false” even those directed at Ellis.
Alvarado posted what she claimed was a screenshot of an email that” a senior leadership member” of the Wave received on June 17 and 10 days after her resignation from the team. You are the most pitiful person I’ve ever met, according to the screenshot. ” We are estatic]sic ] you are no longer with the club”.
Three more former Wave employees later made allegations of abuse they claimed they saw or heard while working for the club, including Bernadette O’Donnell, the former senior communications manager, who claimed she was fired after telling management about the “unhealthy work environment” and her concerns for her own mental health.
The NWSL stated in a statement on Wednesday that” the safety, health, and well-being of everyone associated with our league is our highest priority.” We take seriously any and all reports of potential misconduct, employ qualified independent investigators to thoroughly review those allegations, and act when allegations are supported by the facts that are found. We have mandated corrective action in every situation where reports have been supported, including the removal of individuals who violate our values and standards.
The league also urged anyone with information to call the league’s safety officer or report it via an anonymous tip line.

The Wave were purchased by billionaire Ron Burkle this year by Lauren Leichtman and her husband Arthur Levine, partners at Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, in a deal that valued the organization at$ 113 million. When the Wave joined the NWSL in 2021, Burkle incurred a$ 2 million expansion fee.
As first reported in Sportico, Leichtman and Levine paid$ 35 million for 35 % of the club in March, with an agreement to buy the rest for$ 78 million after this season concludes in November.
The Wave had been viewed as a model franchise with the second-highest revenue in the league, a front office led by Casey Stoney, who led the team to consecutive NWSL semifinal appearances, NWSL Challenge Cup victories, and the second-highest revenue in the league under the leadership of Ellis.
However, Stoney was fired last month because of a seven-game winning streak.
The allegations caused a stir in the women’s soccer industry, with Wave star Alex Morgan, who won two World Cups playing for Ellis on the USWNT, saying on X:” I’m disappointed to hear about the allegations made by several former Wave FC employees today. I want to be proud of what we are building at the Wave but it is obvious that there is so much work to be done.
Sydney Leroux, a fellow USWNT player, publicly supported Alvarado on X.
Friday at 10 p.m. ET, The Wave take on the Thorns in their final regular-season game in Portland.
With assistance from Luke Cyphers.
( This story has been updated to describe the Wave streak as “winless” rather than “losing” in the fourth to final paragraph. )