The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), North America's premier women's soccer competition, has entered into a strategic partnership with international sports agency IMG. The collaboration aims to enhance the league's global visibility and foster its next phase of commercial growth.
As per the agreement, IMG has been granted the authority to manage and license the international video archive rights for all content from NWSL matches starting from the 2027 season. This comprehensive coverage includes regular season matches, playoff games, and the climactic championship game that concludes each season. Additionally, it also encompasses The Challenge Cup - a unique single-game supercup that was originally introduced as a league-wide knockout cup competition during the Covid pandemic in 2024 but later evolved into its current format.
This deal adds to IMG’s impressive portfolio of clients for whom it manages archive rights, including top-tier soccer leagues like English Premier League and Germany’s Bundesliga, World Rugby governing body, Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament, golf’s R&A (The Open) and DP World Tour, UFC mixed martial arts', and Formula E all-electric motor racing series.
Rapid growth under commissioner Jessica Berman
Since its inception in 2012 under Commissioner Jessica Berman's leadership, NWSL has grown into one of the most competitive and commercially successful women’s soccer leagues globally. Berman recently renewed her contract through 2028.
Under Commissioner Jessica Berman's leadership, the NWSL has achieved several significant milestones. These include securing record-breaking media rights deals and successfully negotiating the league's first and second collective bargaining agreements.
Furthermore, there has been a remarkable surge in club valuations under her tenure. The league also expanded its reach by adding franchises in the Bay Area, Utah, Boston, Denver, and Atlanta. This expansion increased the number of clubs from 12 to an impressive 17. In September last year new broadcast agreements were secured with ESPN & CBS for extra match coverage ahead of its planned expansion in 2026.
Increased valuation & sponsorships
Club valuation has seen an upward trend with each round of expansion: Bay FC & Boston Legacy sold for $53 million in 2023, Denver Summit FC for $110 million in 2025, and Atlanta for a whopping $165 million earlier this month.
Bill Hawes, senior director of archive at IMG, said:
“IMG is working closely with the NWSL to help it unlock greater value from its competitions.
“We’re pleased to start our partnership with the NWSL to help storytellers bring the league’s biggest stories to fans, broadcasters, and brands around the world through its archive rights. The NWSL has an incredibly compelling growth story with a rich archive of footage that captures the talent, passion, and moments that have built today’s game.”
The NWSL has also witnessed a 200% increase in league-level partnerships during Berman’s tenure. High-profile companies such as AT&T, Google Pixel, Amazon & Adobe have come on board as sponsors.
The NWSL's 2025 championship game was the most-watched game in the league’s history. It drew a domestic audience of over one million viewers. The match between Gotham FC and Washington Spirit broadcasted by CBS averaged 1.184 million viewers – marking a significant increase of 22% from the previous year's final and up by an impressive 45% from the edition held two years prior. With its strategic partnership with IMG and under Jessica Berman's leadership, NWSL is poised to continue its growth trajectory while enhancing its global visibility.
