We’ve been on this trajectory for some time now, but I think the United States has finally cracked women’s club soccer.
It’s been a long road.
And to truly understand the significance of this new TV deal, and the nature of the league’s success, we have to understand the storied, and often troubled, history of women’s club football in the United States.
One that began in St. Louis, Missouri back in 1950. The ‘Craig’s League‘ was thought to be the first organised women’s soccer league in the United States. Played between 4 teams (the Bobby Soccers, The Coeds, The Flyers and the Bombers).
Named after a local priest, the league served as an avenue for St. Louis women to participate in the beautiful game. A game that was still so far away from the general American consciousness, the fact that the US men’s team defeated the mighty England in the 1950 World Cup barely even registered on American soil.
Fast forward a few years to the 1990’s and we see the US’ first formal stab at a formal professional women’s soccer league, with the United States Interregional Women’s Soccer League, or the W-League for short.
The league not only allowed a place for professional players to play, but also for college players to integrate with their pro counterparts. The Western division of the W-League then broke away to form the Women’s Professional Soccer League (WPSL), which then debuted in 1998.
For the next couple of years both leagues were considered the top tier leagues for women’s soccer in the United States. That is, until the year 2000 when the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA) was formed. The W-League fell to second tier status as a pro-am league before ceasing to exist in 2015. The WPSL still exists as an amateur league to this day.
Hoping to capitalise on the US’ victory at the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, WUSA saw an opportunity. The momentum and surge of soccer interest felt by a country long dominated by football of a different kind, was seen as the chance to ride the crest of the wave created by Brandi Chastain et al. With the backing of John Hendricks, chairman of the Discovery Channel at that time, the twenty players of the USWNT sought out what they perceived to be viable markets in Atlanta, Boston, North Carolina, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Jose and Washington. These markets would host clubs that would ultimately form the 8 league WUSA.
Sadly, after 3 seasons the league fell on its face and ceased operations, primarily due to financial issues and waining public interest. Despite support from the then fledgling, MLS (Major League Soccer, the premier Men’s soccer league in the US), the league was unable to capitalise on the wave of public interest that came after the world cup.
After that there was a vacuum.
Another league that fell by the wayside.
Aside from a couple of “WUSA Festivals” in Los Angeles and Baltimore in the summer of 2024, there was a bit of a gap. The league had planned to relaunch in 2006, but was delayed several times until 2009…
When it eventually did so, it relaunched under a new name, the Women’s Professional Soccer League (WPS).
The WPS was doomed to fail from the start. Lasting only two seasons. Featuring only six clubs in its first season which grew to 7 in the second. The US Soccer Federation had reservations about its sanctioning of the league, due primarily to the geographic sparsity naturally brought on by having only 6-7 clubs in a country as vast as the United States in terms of landmass. For context, US Soccer at the time required leagues to have at least 8 different teams across the countries’ 3 timezones. Eventually the federation allowed the WPS to continue functioning, under the premise that the league expanded to at least 8 clubs by 2014.
Despite the allowance from US Soccer, which came amidst a background of legal challenges and waning interest, WPS folded prior to the start of the 2012 season.
Arise the NWSL.
The NWSL, of course, hasn’t been without its issues. Abuse scandals, clubs folding and unfolding (CC: Utah Royals)… It’s been a wild ride.
But the league is in its strongest ever position. As this new TV deal would indicate. The deal with Amazon, CBS, ESPN and Scripps is estimated to be worth an eye watering $240m over 3 years. That’s $80m a season. When you compare it to the $250m MLS receives from Apple TV per season with Lionel Messi in tow and a league that is 3× as old as NWSL, the NWSL can consider itself on a positive trajectory.
And why is this? Asides from the high quality soccer of course.
Afterall, something must have tweaked people’s interest. Large TV networks don’t sign such huge deals for good faith or PR. The deal dwarves the landmark package The Barclays FA WSL has inked with Sky Sports in the UK.
So, there must be a reason, right?
Wrong. Reasons is the word.
Firstly, crowds are up. By a LOT. Latest figures have NWSL crowds up by a whopping 48% so far in 2024 (by comparison to spring time in 2023).
There are arguably more big name stars than ever before. The league has long attracted the best in the business, but has sometimes struggled to attract top players that aren’t in the Marta/Alex Morgan bracket. The likes of Barbra Banda, Rafaelle de Souza, Beatriz Saneratto and Temwa Chawinga, choosing the league in their prime years has also helped to elevate the overall level.
Continued improvements at the collegiate (and even high school) level are also massive. The likes of Naomi Girma, Summer Yates, Alyssa Thompson… All coming in and make big impacts early on.
There’s also another crucial facet. Time. The older clubs are, the more intertwined they are with the local communities. Parents take their children and so on. It becomes a generational rite of passage.
Most of these clubs are not just novelties. They’re ingrained into the psyche of their supporters. What’s that old saying, ‘it’s the hope that kills you?’
As human beings we have to know how things turn out. Why do you think sequel movies exist? They’re usually worse than their forebearers but we can’t help ourselves. And it’s the same with football clubs.
It’s going to be our year. Right? I gotta know!
So, you go back. Again. And again. And then your kids come. They go back, again. And again. And then… Boom. You have interest. Solid interest. The league then becomes an attractive sell. Because people want to know what happens next.
That’s how you build support.
Overall, it’s just a great league. The fact that this deal encompasses international viewers just says it all.
This deal, with the added context of everything went before, shows that the NWSL is in a very strong position.
And, maybe. Just maybe, the USA has finally cracked club soccer.
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