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- NWSL announces new media rights deal
- Partner with CBS, ESPN, Prime Video & Scripps
- Begins in 2024 on four-year-deal
WHAT HAPPENED? The announcement made on Thursday signifies a new era of women's soccer in the USA, with the NWSL expanding their media rights package like never seen before. Now, four major streaming platforms and channels are set to feature games on a weekly basis.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: The groundbreaking media deal will see 118 matches shown in national windows between the four streaming platforms. In detail, Friday night matches will be streamed on Prime Video, where 25 regular season matches will be featured as well as one playoff game and one opening-kickoff match.
Following Friday nights, each Saturday night will feature a double-header on Scripps network ION, where 50 regular season matches will be played in two time-windows at 7:30 pm ET and 10:00 pm ET each week. In addition to the double-header, ION will stream the 2024 NWSL Draft and will host a weekly studio show leading off of each Saturday match.
CBS Television Network & Paramount Plus will stream a 'minimum' of 21 games, with 18 regular season matches scheduled between the two platforms along with three playoff games - including the NWSL Championship.
Lastly, ESPN will air matches on their affiliate channels ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+, featuring 17 regular season games and three playoff games - two quarterfinals and one semifinal per season.
WHAT THEY SAID?: “These partnerships fundamentally change the game for our league and the players who take the pitch each week," said NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman. "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.”
IN A PHOTO:
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR NWSL? The league's Championship game is set to be played Saturday afternoon in San Diego when Gotham FC and OL Reign face-off at SnapDragon Stadium in a winner-takes-all contest.