NWSL announces landmark media partnerships with CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime Video and Scripps Sports
New distribution to provide NWSL fans unprecedented viewing across linear and streaming each weekend, and significant brand marketing investment
NEW YORK (Nov. 9, 2023) – The National Women's Soccer League announced today landmark agreements for its domestic media distribution with 118 national windows on CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime Video and Scripps Sports. The four-year contract with each partner will generate record-breaking distribution and revenue for the league while maximizing a mix of linear and digital streaming distribution. Endeavor’s IMG and WME Sports advised the NWSL and negotiated on its behalf.
“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,” said NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman. “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.”
Beginning in 2024, 118 matches will be distributed across the following partner platforms:
- The NWSL will begin each regular-season weekend with Friday night matches on Prime Video.
- Each Saturday night that follows will include a double-header on Scripps’-owned ION network, available over-the-air in 123 million homes.
- A package of regular season matches will air on The CBS Television Network and stream live on Paramount+, with additional matches airing on CBS Sports Network.
- ESPN will air a package of matches across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Deportes (Spanish). All NWSL matches on ESPN platforms and on ABC will stream live on ESPN+in English and Spanish. The package also includes English, Spanish and Portuguese-language rights in Latin America.
The remainder of the NWSL regular-season schedule will be part of a domestic direct-to-consumer package produced and distributed by the NWSL, building on the league’s 2023 season international direct-to-consumer platform which has proven successful. All matches, regardless of where they appear, will have consistent and up-leveled production quality due to increased, and uniform, investment across all platforms.
For the NWSL playoffs, set to expand in 2024 with the addition of Bay FC and the Utah Royals, Prime Video and CBS will have the rights to one quarterfinal each, while ESPN/ABC will air the other two quarterfinals. CBS and ESPN/ABC will each have a semifinal.
CBS Sports, in its fourth year in partnership with the NWSL, continues as the home of the NWSL Championship match each season in primetime on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.
ION will air the NWSL Draft live in January. That date will be announced in the future.
In addition to each partner’s investment in the league and showcasing its matches, all have made significant commitments to marketing and promoting the NWSL, and importantly, cross-marketing each other’s scheduled broadcasts.
In addition to each partner’s investment in the league and showcasing its matches, all are committed to marketing and promoting the NWSL and its availability across platforms.
“We’re thrilled to extend our relationship with the NWSL, continuing as the home of the NWSL Championship and offering an expanded slate of matches on CBS as we build on the success of the last four years,” said Sean McManus, Chairman, CBS Sports. “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. As we prepare to present the 2023 NWSL Championship this weekend, we are excited to continue to showcase this league across our platforms for years to come and remain the ultimate destination for soccer fans.”
CBS- Minimum of 21 Games
- Regular season:
- CBS and Paramount+: Minimum of 10 games per season
- CBS Sports Network: Minimum of 8 games per season
- Playoffs:
- CBS and Paramount+: 1 quarterfinal per season
- CBS and Paramount+: 1 semifinal per season
- CBS and Paramount+: NWSL Championship
“The NWSL is among the world's best women’s professional soccer leagues, and we are excited to showcase the league, the clubs, and the incredible athletes to sports fans,” said Rosalyn Durant, Executive Vice President, Programming and Acquisitions, ESPN. “This agreement further strengthens our leadership position as the home for women’s sports.”
ESPN/ABC- 20 games
- Regular season:
- 17 regular season games per season
- Playoffs:
- 2 quarterfinals per season
- 1 semifinal per season
“The evolution of women’s sports - and specifically the NWSL - demonstrates that there is a growing audience for remarkable athletes and world-class competition, regardless of gender,” said Marie Donoghue, VP U.S. sports content & partnerships, Amazon. “With the unique power and distribution of Prime Video, and an exclusive window on Friday nights throughout the season, we look forward to expanding that audience as the newest home of the NWSL.”
Prime Video- 27 games
- Regular season:
- 25 Friday night games per season
- 1 season opening kickoff match
- Playoffs:
- 1 quarterfinal per season
“Scripps Sports is pleased to create a franchise night on ION for the NWSL that will reach every American household, across every free television platform and further help expand the league’s fan base with appointment viewing consistency,” said Adam Symson, president and CEO of The E.W. Scripps Company. “We’re proud once again to be a part of a historic distribution agreement that will elevate women’s professional sports, benefitting the league, the teams, their athletes and fans.”
Scripps Sports- 50 games
- 25 exclusive Saturday night double-headers on ION, games with 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET starts.
- Weekly studio show leading off each doubleheader Saturday at 7 p.m. ET
- 2024 NWSL Draft
Hillary Mandel, EVP, Head of Americas, IMG said: “On behalf of the NWSL, we have secured four game-changing, marquee partnerships that will help send the women’s game to new heights of viewership and fandom, growing domestic revenues for the League at a multiple of over 40x. The NWSL’s new line-up of media partners are stepping up with significant rights fees, production investment, top tier platforms and impactful promotion. In lockstep with the NWSL, they are going to transform the ways in which fans can discover and engage with the games, assuring deserved exposure for these world class athletes on the broadest stage.”
