The National Women's Soccer League on Thursday announced a new media rights deal that will feature the league's matches 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,” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said. “We’re resetting the standards by which women’s sports can be valued.”
The league's current deal with CBS Sports ends at the end of this season. The new media rights package runs through 2027. Financial details were not made public.
The NWSL championship will air Saturday night on CBS between Gotham FC and OL Reign. 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," Sean McManus, chairman of CBS Sports, said in a prepared statement.
Starting next season, a Friday night game on Prime Video will kick off each weekend. Each Saturday night will include a double-header on Scripps' over-the-air ION network.
A package of at least 21 regular-season games will stream live on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network or CBS.
Another package of 20 games with air 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 is also the league's data and international streaming provider.
Earlier this year, NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman reported that viewership on CBS and its streaming affiliate Paramount+ was up 21 percent year-over-year to last season.
Megan Rapinoe's farewell match for OL Reign in Seattle averaged 683,000 viewers on CBS last month, becoming 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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