According to ESPN, The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) has recently announced a groundbreaking four-year media rights deal.
This new agreement, set to commence in 2024, will see the U.S. women's top-flight partnering with four of the biggest names in sports broadcasting in CBS Sports, ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, and Scripps Sports.
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) has just concluded its exclusive three-year deal with CBS Sports following yesterday's 2023 NWSL Championship match between NJ/NY Gotham FC and OL Reign, in which Gotham were crowned champions.
The exclusive CBS Sports deal has now ended and a new era of women's football broadcasting in the US has been ushered in by this new four-year agreement with CBS, ESPN, Prime and Scripps.
New deal set to "fundamentally change" the women's game stateside
This marks a significant shift in the broadcasting landscape for women's soccer, with a new deal promising increased exposure and financial benefits for the league.
Jessica Berman, commissioner of the NWSL, said:
"These partnerships fundamentally change the game for our league and the players who take the pitch each week. 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."
"We have taken great care to ensure our games are discoverable by increasing our reach in order to expose new audiences to everything that makes our league special, without compromising the economic value of our product. This is the beginning of our future."
$240m agreement reward for increase in viewership
The new agreement is worth a staggering $240 million over four years, according to ESPN sources. This represents a substantial increase from the previous three-year $4.5 million agreement with CBS. The financial boost is a testament to the growing popularity and commercial viability of women's soccer, and it's expected to have a positive impact on the league's growth and development.
Earlier this year, NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman reported a 21 percent year-over-year increase in viewership on CBS and its streaming affiliate, Paramount+. This surge in viewership underscores the growing interest in women's soccer and the potential for further growth under the new deal.
NWSL matches to air across four different US networks
Starting next season, the broadcasting of NWSL matches will be divided among several networks. Here's the breakdown:
- CBS Sports will broadcast a minimum of 21 games.
- ESPN/ABC will air 20 games.
- Prime Video will stream 27 games.
- Scripps Sports will cover 50 games.
All NWSL matches on ESPN and ABC will be available live on ESPN+ in both English and Spanish. The new media rights deal also includes Spanish, Portuguese, and English-language rights for Latin America through ESPN.
The new deal also outlines the distribution of playoff rights:
- ESPN/ABC will have the rights to two quarterfinals and one semifinal.
- Prime Video will broadcast one quarterfinal.
- CBS Sports will cover one quarterfinal, one semifinal, and the NWSL Championship.
The NWSL Championship and select regular-season matches will be available for streaming on Paramount+.
The new media rights deal marks a significant milestone for the NWSL and women's soccer. With increased financial backing and broader broadcasting coverage, the league is poised for unprecedented growth. This deal not only reflects the rising popularity of women's soccer but also sets the stage for its future expansion and success.
