The US National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has witnessed a new record in attendance, thanks to the latest expansion team, Denver Summit. The team's home opener against the Washington Spirit at Mile High Stadium saw an unprecedented number of fans. Denver Summit's first home match, which ended in a scoreless draw on March 28th, attracted 63,004 fans. This impressive turnout shattered the previous NWSL record of 40,091 set by Bay FC at Oracle Park last year. The match took place at Mile High Stadium - also home to NFL's Denver Broncos.
Four games into their inaugural season, the Summit currently sit eighth in the league with five points from one loss, two draws and one win. The NWSL awarded its 16th franchise to Denver back in January 2025 for a reported expansion fee of $110 million. The team began play this season alongside fellow debutants Boston Legacy FC.
Colorado-based businessman Rob Cohen leads an investment consortium that owns the team. Cohen is also chair and chief executive of IMA Financial Group insurance broker and women’s sports investment fund Project Level - a subsidiary of Ariel Investment.
Boosting commercial partnerships
Since its inception, Denver Summit has been actively working on enhancing its commercial partnerships ahead of its debut. Its first founding partner is non-profit healthcare provider CommonSpirit Health. Additionally, Legends Global - a premium experiences and commercial agency - was brought onboard to manage commercial operations for the franchise. Legends will be responsible for securing commercial partnerships for the Summit including naming rights deals for both their upcoming permanent stadium project as well as their temporary stadium until completion; sponsorship of performance center; selling shirt sponsorship inventory among others.
The construction of Denver Summits' permanent stadium with capacity for 14,500 spectators is set to be completed by 2028. Before the start of the 2026 season, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman announced that the league will award its 18th franchise later this year. The selected team is expected to begin play in 2028. Most recently, Atlanta was announced as the league's 17th franchise in November.
The NWSL's current campaign kicked off on March 13 and will run through November 1, followed by postseason playoffs. Denver Summit has made a significant impact on the NWSL with their record-breaking home match attendance. This achievement not only highlights their popularity but also sets a high bar for future franchises entering into the league.
