Whereas in the past, there was a limited form of free agency tied to service time, all players are now free to sign wherever they like upon reaching the end of their contract.

In a lot of cases, being asked for advance consent is a blow to a player's ego and a very real source of frustration. However, there are certainly cases where it can work in a player's favor.

Memorabilia belonging to Gary Player has been put up for auction without his permission for the second time in three years. And the nine-time major champion isn’t too happy about it.

If a player has a history of injuries, they'll be looking closely at the medical staff. If they want development, they'll look at the coach and the staff's management style. And so on.

The NWSL's new CBA does something no other American sports league has tried: total free agency and no trades without player permission. Skip to main content Skip to navigation Presented By ...