The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has announced a new media rights deal that will see the league’s matches broadcasted on ESPN, CBS Sports, Amazon Prime Video, and Scripps Sports.
“These partners believe in our future. They believe in our players, they believe in what we can be,” said NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman. “We’re resetting the standards by which women’s sports can be valued.”
The current media rights deal between the league and CBS Sports will end after this season, and the new deal will run until 2027. The financial details of the agreement have not been disclosed.
The NWSL championship game between Gotham FC and OL Reign will be aired on CBS this Saturday night. CBS will continue to broadcast the championship game on its main network.
“Extending this partnership further demonstrates our commitment to elevating women’s sports as we continue to work hand-in-hand with the NWSL to highlight the world’s best women’s soccer players,” said Sean McManus, chairman of CBS Sports.
Starting from next season, a Friday night game will be streamed on Prime Video to kick off each weekend. Each Saturday night will feature a double-header on Scripps’ over-the-air ION network.
A package of at least 21 regular-season games will be streamed live on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, or CBS. Another package of 20 games will be broadcasted across ESPN’s platforms, including ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Deportes.
The NWSL has been working with Endeavor, a global sports and entertainment marketing firm, which has partnerships with the NHL and the NFL. Endeavor also serves as the league’s data and international streaming provider.
Earlier this year, NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman reported a 21 percent increase in viewership on CBS and its streaming affiliate Paramount+ compared to last season.
Megan Rapinoe’s farewell match for OL Reign in Seattle attracted an average of 683,000 viewers on CBS last month, making it the most-watched regular-season NWSL game ever. The match also drew a record 34,134 fans to Lumen Field.
Rapinoe plans to retire from soccer following Saturday’s championship.
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