KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The National Women’s Soccer League announced a new, wide-ranging broadcast package that should expand the league's viewership, visibility and revenue beginning in 2024.
The four-year deals include an agreement with Scripps Sports to air weekly doubleheaders at 6:30 and 9 p.m. on Saturday nights on the Scripps-owned ION network. The E.W. Scripps Company is KSHB 41's parent company.
The NWSL’s new TV package, which the league said “will generate record-breaking distribution and revenue,” also includes agreements with ESPN and Prime Video along with the continuation of its deal with CBS Sports.
The pacts, which run through the 2027 season, are worth $60 million per season, according to The Associated Press.
“These partnerships fundamentally change the game for our league and the players who take the pitch each week,” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said in a statement. “On behalf of the NWSL, our owners and players, I want to commend CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime Video and Scripps for investing in our league and affirmatively declaring to the marketplace that this league is exciting, valuable, and important.”
The Kansas City Current recently wrapped up their third season in NWSL and will become the first women’s pro sports team to open their own, purpose-built stadium — CPKC Stadium, located at the Berkley Riverfront — when the 2024 season kicks off in March.
"This is a record-breaking and history-making partnership that will change the game for the league, the teams and the players," the Current said in a statement to KSHB 41. "It reaffirms what we already knew — that our product is exciting, entertaining and valuable. We echo the sentiments and the excitement of the league and the broadcast partners as we commence on the next chapter of women’s sports and women’s soccer across the globe. And, we are just beginning."
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Next season, a total of 118 matches will be available across the four new broadcast partners, including 50 on ION via Scripps Sports, which will air a half-hour studio show before each Saturday doubleheader.
Additioanlly, ION will air the 2024 NWSL Draft in January.
“Scripps Sports is pleased to create a franchise night on ION for the NWSL that will reach every American household, across every free television platform and further help expand the league’s fan base with appointment viewing consistency,” E.W. Scripps President and CEO Adam Symson said in a statement. “We’re proud once again to be a part of a historic distribution agreement that will elevate women’s professional sports, benefitting the league, the teams, their athletes and fans.”
This is Scripps Sports’ second foray into women’s pro sports broadcasting on ION, which launched the “WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION” earlier this year. League viewership jumped 24% for the 2023 season.
“When we partnered with Scripps Sports for the 2023 season, we were hoping their reach would drive WNBA viewership to higher heights, and Scripps overwhelmingly delivered,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. “New fans found us. Faithful fans embraced the appointment viewing. This success is only going to grow in the future.”
The NWSL is hoping its new U.S. broadcast distribution structure will deliver similar success, while making matches more accessible for more fans.
Prime Video will air matches on Friday night. The Amazon-owned streaming service will air a minimum of 27 games, including a season kickoff match and one playoff quarterfinal.
CBS, which retained the rights to the NWSL Championship Game and will air a minimum of 21 games each season, including the playoffs, will continue to stream matches via Paramount+ and via the CBS Sports Network.
ESPN has committed to a minimum of 20 NWSL matches, including the playoffs, and will air games across its various platforms — including ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.
The deal also provides for English-, Spanish- and Portuguese-language broadcasts in Latin America via ESPN’s platforms.
The rest of the NWSL’s 154-game regular season “will be part of a domestic direct-to-consumer package produced and distributed by the NWSL,” the league said in announcing the new media-rights partnerships.
But the NWSL later clarified that it hasn’t ruled out deals for local-market broadcasts, according to the AP.
The NWSL will expand to 14 teams next year when San Jose, California-based Bay FC enter the league and the Utah Royals FC are resurrected in Salt Lake City.
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