The National Women’s Soccer League is set to expand by three teams in Boston, Utah and the San Francisco Bay Area, a source with knowledge of the expansion process confirmed to The Athletic. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news. Here’s what you need to know:
- The groups in Boston and the Bay Area have agreed to pay approximately $50 million each in franchise fees, the most of any previous payments required to enter the NWSL, a source confirmed.
- Utah ownership is expected to pay between $2 million and $5 million, an arrangement agreed to a few years ago.
- The Utah and Bay Area teams would join the league in 2024, with Boston joining at a later time.
Backstory
With the addition of the three teams, the NWSL will have 15 franchises. Los Angeles’ Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC joined the league as the latest two teams, with the franchise fees reportedly between $2 million and $5 million. The jump in expansion fee indicates a willingness from outside parties to bet on the league’s value, especially its media rights.
NWSL games primarily stream on Paramount+ with some matches broadcast on CBS Sports Network or CBS, which reportedly is paying the league $4.5 million over three years for its broadcast rights in a deal inked in 2020.
The Bay Area’s expansion team…
