NWSL gets boost in visibility with ESPN

LYON, France – Capitalizing on the popularity of the World Cup, ESPN and the NWSL have agreed on a TV deal for the rest of the season.

ESPN will televise 14 matches, beginning July 14. Six of the games, including the championship and both semifinals, will air on ESPN2 while the other eight will be on ESPNews.

“We are pleased to ... showcase many of the world’s top female players when they return to their professional club teams,” Burke Magnus, ESPN’s executive vice president for programming and scheduling, said in a release. “The success and excitement of the World Cup in France has been on full display and the NWSL represents the best women’s club soccer in the world.”

The announcement is a big boost for the NWSL, which had been without a TV contract since ending its deal with A&E in February, a year before the contract was up. Having its games on TV, and on a bigger platform, should help the league capitalize on the World Cup, which has drawn record ratings around the world.

All 23 members of the U.S. team, which plays Netherlands for the title Sunday, play in the NWSL. So do more than 30 players from 10 other countries, including Brazil’s Marta, Australia’s Sam Kerr and Canada’s Christine Sinclair.

“NWSL is a global leader in women’s professional soccer, with collectively the most talented players in the world. Together with the reach of ESPN’s vast network, we have the opportunity to bring more games to a broader audience across the country and world,” NWSL President Amanda Duffy said.

The success of the NWSL is critical for the United States, especially as countries across Europe are pumping money and resources into their domestic leagues. La Liga, for example, took over the women’s domestic league in Spain two years ago. Spain lost a close game to the United States in the Round of 16 here, and its Under-17 team won its World Cup last year.