The National Women’s Soccer League will not proceed with a vote to flip the league calendar to a fall-to-spring format, The Athletic has learned, though discussions are expected to continue.

Multiple sources have confirmed to The Athletic that the vote for “flipping” the calendar from its current spring-to-fall format was no longer on the Board of Governors’ meeting agenda. The Board of Governors will convene Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday in Portland, Ore., sources have told The Athletic, with the calendar flip still expected to be a topic of discussion.

CBS Sports was the first to report that the vote was off the table. The board narrowly voted down switching the calendar as recently as Fall 2024, according to ESPN.

The vote was still on the agenda as recently as Friday, according to sources, suggesting the shift was sudden. It is not unusual for agendas to change in the lead-up to a board meeting.

Flipping the calendar has been a years-long debate in the NWSL, regaining steam last month when news of a potential vote was first reported by ESPN in mid-April. The NWSLPA then said that a majority of players surveyed opposed switching the calendar right now, citing concerns that the NWSL, as it exists with its infrastructure and several cold-weather markets, would be unable to proceed with such a seismic change “responsibly.”

Over the weekend, players began publicly weighing in on the debate for the first time.

“I think there’s way too many locations that are way too cold. I don’t think we’ve fully thought through what that looks like,” Trinity Rodman, the Washington Spirit forward and U.S. women’s national team standout, said on Friday. “If we have snowed-out games — or just the conditions in general — what are the backup plans? Where are the fields we can play at?

“And just fans in general (and) getting to games, I think that would decrease the attendance for games in cold climates. So, for me, I just think we have to be fully prepared and have backup plans if we do potentially decide to do that.

“But, right now, I just think there’s way too many locations that are going to be snowy in the middle of the season. So, I don’t know if I’m fully for it, at the moment.”

Portland Thorns forward Sophia Smith shared a similar take with reporters on Tuesday.

“I think there’s arguments for both schedules, but, at the end of the day, I think this league is different than Europe in a lot of ways,” she said. “I haven’t really thought a lot about where I stand on that situation, but I think there’s a lot of climates that would not be fun to play in come wintertime, and we just added Columbus, so you can add that one right in there with that.”

Wilson acknowledged that the discussion over a flipped calendar would be “ongoing,” and that ultimately “it will be what it will be, but I think that whoever’s making the decision just has to take everything into account, obviously, when making a decision that’s that important.”

Last year, league commissioner Jessica Berman said the NWSL was “on notice” and continuing its conversations about changing the calendar. The league has maintained this messaging since last November, following Major League Soccer’s decision to flip its own calendar and sync with the rest of the world’s top soccer leagues. MLS will move to a summer-to-fall format in 2027.

MLS’s decision came after years of analysis, from weather patterns to broadcasting windows, and back-and-forths over the league’s long-term direction, according to sources who spoke with The Athletic on condition of anonymity because all the discussions were private at the time.

In MLS’s case, the league will start mid-July, and the MLS Cup playoffs will take place in May. The league will break in the winter from mid-December through early or mid-February to avoid harsh winter weather in some of its markets. With this move, MLS moved its marquee playoff season to spring, away from the NFL and college football in the fall. The league has also factored in a “sprint season” from February to May 2027 to transition into its new format.

MLS’s calendar shift does not automatically trigger a similar move for the NWSL, but the overlap matters. Eleven NWSL clubs share venues with MLS clubs and operate as secondary tenants, leaving them without scheduling priority when MLS sets its match calendar. While MLS’s move to a different calendar opens up availability, in theory, if the principal owner of the stadium decides to use the venue for non-soccer events, NWSL teams could fall into conflict scheduling their matches in highly coveted weekend slots.

Some NWSL teams have already run into scheduling conflicts, even before any calendar shift.

In 2024, Chicago Stars FC, then known as the Chicago Red Stars, faced pushback from SeatGeek Stadium because of overlapping bookings with other events, including Riot Fest. The situation resolved itself when Riot Fest relocated to Chicago proper. However, the situation exposed the reality of stadium hierarchy and the lack of priority for NWSL matches. It also undercut the league’s push to deliver a first-rate fan experience and pushed the club to explore more stable, long-term stadium solutions.

Also in 2024, San Diego Wave FC was forced to relocate its final regular-season home match across the country to Louisville’s Lynn Family Stadium because of poor playing conditions at its home venue, Snapdragon Stadium.

The disruption went beyond logistics. The Wave had lined up a slate of milestone moments, including a fan appreciation night, a ceremony marking Emily van Egmond’s 100th NWSL appearance, and a retirement tribute for Alex Morgan. All of it had to be scrapped or relocated after the venue switch, with Morgan’s celebration then pushed to next season.

NWSL teams, including last year’s champions, Gotham FC, could potentially have to change venues in 2027 if MLS teams — in Gotham’s case, the NY Red Bulls — schedule a summer event.

“I think it’s obvious that the more that we go into international competitions, with the international calendar, we need to be adapted to the international calendar,” Gotham coach Juan Carlos Amoros said on Saturday. “Obviously, the NBA, NFL, NHL, all these leagues can play different (schedules). They don’t have international competitions, but we do now, and for us to, in the middle of the break, play a competition like the FIFA Champions (Cup), that doesn’t make any sense.

“We’re looking at, obviously, being qualified already for the FIFA Club World Cup. Is that going to land in the same moment for us? I think if women’s soccer is moving to that globalization, we need to move with it. Obviously, there are some challenges — the weather, especially the weather, that’s the main (issue) in markets like ours, but there are also better resources, better facilities, and being intelligent about it.”

Additionally, with the schedule shift, starting in the 2027 season, MLS will plan its 2028-2029 schedule after February, which could limit NWSL’s ability to announce its calendar before that.

The 2027 season is already shaping up to be a logistical headache for the NWSL, sources told The Athletic. Due to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, the league would need to kick off in mid-February, then pause in June and July for the duration of the tournament.

Layer in two separate weeklong FIFA international windows in February and April, and suddenly there are even fewer weekends available for regular-season play. To reach a 30-match schedule, the league would likely need to lean heavily on six to nine midweek fixtures or make the more controversial call to play through the World Cup window.

In the 2028 season, with the Olympics at play, if the calendar flips, the NWSL will have three to four midweek games versus six to nine again, if the calendar stays.

While a stalled vote would delay the decision for a calendar flip, the possibility of a 2028 calendar change is not entirely off the table. The league still has roughly six months to bring the issue back to the table for another vote, for the timing to align.

Under the current collective bargaining agreement, the NWSL must provide a minimum of one year’s notice before a potential calendar change. The CBA also calls for the formation of a scheduling committee, additional bargaining if the format conflicts with the contract’s terms, and the establishment of an “extreme cold policy.” The NWSL, however, retains sole discretion.

While the league has not directly commented on reports of the once-looming vote, it has confirmed previously that a flip was being considered, repeating an identical statement to reporters in recent weeks on the matter.

“The NWSL has been actively evaluating its competition calendar, including the potential to align more closely with the international soccer landscape,” a league spokesperson told The Athletic on April 17. “No decision has been made at this time. Any change of this magnitude will be thoughtfully considered, and we are taking input from all key stakeholders.”

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix had a cleanup procedure performed on his right ankle last week as part of a scheduled follow-up with surgeon Norman E. Waldrop, a league source confirmed to The Athletic on Tuesday.

Nix originally had surgery in late January after suffering an ankle fracture at the end of Denver’s overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round of the playoffs. The injury forced him to miss the Broncos’ 10-7 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.

The latest procedure could affect Nix’s availability for OTAs, which begin for the Broncos in early June, and the minicamp to follow. Broncos coach Sean Payton acknowledged after the final day of the NFL Draft on Saturday that Nix had a scheduled follow-up with Waldrop, but he didn’t specifically answer a question as to whether the timeline for Nix to return to the field had changed.

“He had a recheck that was scheduled. He’s doing great,” Payton said of Nix on Saturday. “We’re excited about his progress. Nothing to report. These guys will be coming in here. He’s here. A number of these guys are coming in the building.”

Payton, general manager George Paton and co-owner Greg Penner all voiced confidence during the NFL’s league meetings in late March that Nix would participate in OTAs.

“He’s attacked his recovery in the same way that he attacks preparing for games,” Penner said of Nix at the time. “He’s done a terrific job. He’s ahead of schedule, no concerns at all for (the offseason program) and going forward from there. We’re really pleased with his progress and the support from (vice president of player health and performance) Beau Lowery and everyone.”

It now appears to be an open question as to whether — or how much — Nix will see the field during Denver’s on-field workouts in June. Even if Nix is limited during OTAs, though, the source indicated, he’s expected to be fully ready by the time the Broncos begin training camp in late July.

Nix suffered the injury while carrying the ball during the final drive of Denver’s 33-30 victory over the Bills. The Broncos’ euphoria after reaching the conference title game for the first time in a decade was quickly doused when Payton announced, about an hour after the game ended, that imaging done in the stadium showed Nix had suffered a broken ankle and would be out for the rest of the season. 

“I broke my ankle one step away from the Super Bowl,” Nix wrote in an essay published in “The Players’ Tribune” earlier this month. “It hurt. Bad. Not just physically. It hurt because I love playing the game with my teammates. It hurt because we’ve built something really special. It hurt because when you’re that close to something you’ve dreamed about your whole life, you don’t want it taken out of your hands.”

Nix threw for 3,931 yards, 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions last season. His 24 victories since being drafted 12th overall by the Broncos in 2024 are tied with Russell Wilson for the most by a quarterback during his first two seasons in league history.

The Philadelphia 76ers kept their season alive, cutting the series deficit to 3-2 with a 113-97 road win over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night at TD Garden.

After back-to-back losses in Games 3 and 4, Philly flipped the script in Game 5 with a dominant fourth quarter. Joel Embiid led the charge with 33 points and eight assists, Tyrese Maxey added 25 points and 10 rebounds, and Paul George stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. The trio has shared the floor for only 23 games this season, but performances like Tuesday night’s highlight just how dangerous they can be when all are healthy.

V.J. Edgecombe (10) and Quentin Grimes (18) also chipped in with double-digit scoring efforts.

It looked like Boston might take control after building a double-digit lead in the third, but the momentum flipped fast. The Celtics struggled from deep (28.2 percent) and managed just 11 points in the fourth quarter.

Jayson Tatum paced Boston with 24 points and 16 rebounds, while Jaylen Brown finished with 22 points, five rebounds and five assists. No other starter scored more than eight.

Boston missed a chance to close it out at home and will now try to finish the job in Philadelphia on Thursday.

Here are some takeaways heading into Game 6.

Celtics offense goes dry

The Celtics have done this before. The current core hasn’t always been sharp with chances to close a series, especially at home. Remember what Trae Young did to them in a similar situation in 2023?

This time, it was Embiid, Maxey, George and Grimes playing the role of Young. After taking a 13-point lead, the Boston offense went dry. The Celtics forced a bunch of difficult shots as the 76ers produced good ones. Sam Hauser drained a couple of key fourth-quarter 3-pointers, but then fouled Grimes on a 3-pointer to let the 76ers go ahead by five points.

The Celtics were in danger then. It only got worse for them as they scored 10 points over the first 10 minutes of the fourth quarter.  They had some opportunities to pull even midway through the fourth quarter, but Hauser, Tatum and Derrick White all missed 3-pointers that would have tied the game. Then, Boston was diced up by Embiid for a stretch that essentially ended the game.

It was another missed opportunity for the Celtics, who could regret failing to close out the series in five games even if they eventually beat the 76ers. They had an opportunity to give themselves some rest while the rest of the Eastern Conference finished the first round. Instead, Boston must go on the road for a pivotal Game 6. — Jay King, Celtics beat writer 

Sixers save their season

Sometimes, one player, with a simple substitution, can change the direction of a playoff series.

Grimes has been a forgotten man for the Philadelphia 76ers. On Tuesday night, in a Game 5 the Sixers had to win, Grimes arguably saved the season. Yes, Embiid and Maxey were both sensational. But Grimes came off the bench and scored 18 points, including big shot after big shot. It was a clutch performance for a Sixers team that hasn’t had such a performance off the bench for the entirety of the series.

Just as importantly, Embiid’s presence was felt in Game 5. He stopped taking jumpers and parked himself in the paint and consistently bullied his way to the basket. Philadelphia has shown this kind of heart all season. They did it one more time with their season on the line.

Now, the series shifts back to Philadelphia for Thursday night’s Game 6. The Sixers are still a long shot to win the series. But they have given themselves a chance, and that’s all that can be asked. Now, the question is whether they can finally figure out a way to win a home game. — Tony Jones, Sixers beat writer