The San Jose Earthquakes hire Gavin Wilkinson following a “restorative practices” process that clears him to work in Major League Soccer. Multiple reports say the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is not formally involved in that clearance, even as San Jose shares its stadium, PayPal Park, with Bay FC, an NWSL club.
Bay FC is reported to have pushed back against Wilkinson’s hiring as a roster consultant, and some Earthquakes fans also question the decision. Their concerns center on Wilkinson’s past work connected to the NWSL Portland Thorns and the MLS Portland Timbers, where he had previously been involved.
One outlet adds context that the Portland organization that oversees both teams ultimately fires Wilkinson in 2022, two days after the Sally Yates report becomes public. Together, the accounts describe a new employment decision in San Jose that draws scrutiny because it follows a clearance process that reportedly proceeds without NWSL participation and comes after prior disciplinary outcomes tied to the Thorns/Timbers.
