Run this town

The GIST: Last week, it was announced that the NWSL, per CBS Sports, formally applied to the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) to create a new Division II league in 2026. The timing is interesting, as it comes on the heels of big shake-ups in the U.S. soccer pyramid. Let’s recap and dig into the business opportunity for brands and owners alike.

The American women’s soccer landscape: For just over a decade, the NWSL was the exclusive Division I professional women’s soccer league in the U.S. The league has flourished as soccer interest and participation have grown at the grassroots level, illustrating the capacity for more pro and amateur leagues.

• The United Soccer League (USL) launched its Division I women’s league, the USL Super League (recently renamed the Gainbridge Super League), last August. The two leagues claim they’re not competing, and with the NWSL more established, the Gainbridge Super League provides an alternate pro platform as players build their careers.

• Then last week, the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) announced a plan to launch a Division II pro league in 2026. The move filled a hole in the U.S. soccer pyramid and created a feeder league for the NWSL and Gainbridge Super League, which makes this NWSL development especially intriguing.

The NWSL plan: Unlike the WPSL, the NWSL’s new league would be directly affiliated, giving the league an edge. Eight NWSL teams have already committed to the DII league, and all NWSL clubs are required to have an affiliated team within the first four years.

The men’s comparison: There’s a thriving precedent for second-tier feeder leagues in the NBA, MLB, and NHL. Fan engagement with these local farm teams tends to be strong, with 78% of minor league baseball fans being more likely to buy products from team sponsors.

• And thanks to solid attendance and engagement figures in recent years, the NBA’s G League enjoys partnerships with major brands like Gatorade and Hyatt.

• Meanwhile, in 2023–24, the NHL’s AHL broke its single-season attendance record with 6.8M fans attending games.

Lingering questions: These days, the NWSL isn’t the only game in town — but it’s still the most dominant pro women’s soccer league in the U.S. With the existence of the Gainbridge Super League and plans for the WPSL, how does the NWSL’s new second-tier league fit into the U.S. soccer pyramid? Will it become the preferred pathway to the big leagues?

• Only time will tell, but in the meantime, brands should consider partnering with these affiliate teams to enjoy the NWSL halo effect and the same benefits from the men’s sports ecosystem at a lower price point. A perfect match.

The GIST: It’s only been a few weeks since Paige Bueckers was drafted to the WNBA’s Dallas Wings, but the entire ecosystem is already benefiting from the “Bueckers Effect.”

• 🏟️ Recently, the Dallas Wings announced that they would open their upper deck at College Park Center to meet the demand for ticket sales for the team’s home opener against the Minnesota Lynx on May 16th. That makes Bueckers a BFD. The aforementioned Lynx? They only opened their upper deck for two special occasions last season: The WNBA Finals and when Caitlin Clark came to town. In elite company.

• 🎟️ So far, the WNBA’s average ticket price is reportedly up 43% YoY at $173 a pop, and the Wings boast the highest average home ticket price after drafting Bueckers earlier this month. In March, the team upgraded their June 27th game against Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever to the 20K-seater American Airlines Center, home of the NBA’s Mavericks.

• And according to SeatGeek, there’s been a 905% surge in traffic for Wings tickets, and ticket prices for the first showdown between Bueckers and Clark are averaging $449 on VividSeats. Sheesh.

• ♥️ Bueckers’ hometown of Hopkins, Minnesota, is renaming the town “Paige Bueckers” for a day on May 16th when the rookie plays the Minnesota Lynx in her WNBA debut. During Clark’s four years playing college in her home state of Iowa, she generated an estimated $52.3M in state GDP — Minnesota should also benefit each time Bueckers returns home.

Zooming out: Teaming up with Bueckers is a no-brainer for brands, but it’s important to keep in mind that Paige is a team player. When Bueckers was at UConn, she was at the center of team-wide deals like with beauty partner Madison Reed and Fortnite creator Epic Games.

• Bueckers’ arrival in Dallas is already amplifying her star teammates with trendy TikToks, something she did often at UConn. This weekend, Bueckers tried out a new trend with Arike Ogunbowale (pronounced Ah-REE-kay Oh-goon-bow-WAH-lay), Maddy Siegrist, and Tyasha Harris, which is already making the rounds on social media. Ready to fly.

Sick of hearing that the future of women’s sports is bright? We thought so. Women are and have been running up the score on and off the field. They’re not next, they’re now.

• To celebrate how far women in sports have already come, we teamed up with Bauer and Rookie Made to create a custom merch drop that meets the moment and celebrates our unmatched community. Giving a whole new meaning to the term “iced out.”

Cop the jersey or the t-shirt and show the world you were there to witness this moment in women’s sports. We’d hurry if we were you — this is a limited-edition run, so place your order while supplies last. Go ahead, wear your heart on your sleeve.

• P.S. Ten percent of all sales go to Black Girl Hockey Club, which is building on the momentum to make the game more inclusive. Score.

👕 Finding the perfect gameday look? That can be a fashion nightmare. Thankfully, Jasmine Maietta saw an opportunity for creative merch and founded Round21 — and with the support of Intuit QuickBooks, this CEO’s collection is growing by the minute.

• QuickBooks takes the guesswork out of your small business’s finances, allowing Maietta to focus on new Toronto Tempo designs instead of endless paperwork. Check out how QuickBooks helped Maietta stay efficient as she ascended to the top of the merch game.