The GIST

NWSL shares proposal for second-tier affiliate league as U.S. soccer pyramid flourishes

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.

April 28, 2025

Gainbridge announces USL Super League title partnership as U.S. women’s soccer pyramid expands

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Digital insurance company Gainbridge made a major play by teaming up with the United Soccer League (USL) yesterday. The USL’s Super League is now called the Gainbridge Super League, the first-ever title partnership for a U.S. pro soccer league. The partnership illustrates how brands are starting to recognize opportunities at all levels of the flourishing U.S. soccer pyramid.

April 23, 2025

Relo Metrics adds NWSL sponsorship insights to its data suite

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Yesterday, AI–powered sports marketing data insights platform Relo Metrics officially added NWSL data to its Relo Census product, which the company touts as a must-have tool for marketers. By adding the soccer league’s data, brands can now see the ROI of NWSL sponsorships in real time, which will likely encourage even more investment in the league.

April 23, 2025

Chelsea reports record valuation for women’s soccer team amid club restructuring

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This week, Chelsea F.C. shared financial results for the 2023–2024 season, including the valuation for its women’s side. With Chelsea reorganizing its women’s team under subsidiary BlueCo 22 Midco Limited, the WSL club is reportedly worth $257M, making it the highest-valued women’s soccer team in the world — and topping Angel City FC’s $250M valuation.

April 07, 2025

U.S. and UK will bring FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments to top women’s soccer markets

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Yesterday, FIFA confirmed the hosts for the 2031 and 2035 Women’s World Cup (WWC) tournaments in 2031 and 2035 as the U.S. and the UK, respectively. While these nations were the only ones to submit valid bids by the deadline, the confirmation is still a significant milestone for both burgeoning women’s soccer markets.

April 04, 2025

NWSL locks in another tech partnership with extensive AT&T deal

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Yesterday, the NWSL signed telecommunications giant AT&T as its official connectivity partner through an expansive, multiyear deal. While the partnership marks a major commitment to the women’s soccer league, it’s also a safe bet considering AT&T’s previous sports investments and the NWSL’s engaged audience.

April 02, 2025

For Soccer shares demographic insights on women soccer fans in the U.S.

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Yesterday, U.S. media and marketing platform For Soccer released the first installment of its 2025 United States of Soccer series, which profiles women soccer fans in the U.S. The report covers how this audience of 44M women — 43% of all U.S. soccer fans — is growing in size and influence, offering insights for marketers to meet them where they are.

March 28, 2025

Sports Business

Women’s soccer legends team up to launch global 7v7 soccer league

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March 21, 2025

With investment in women’s soccer on the rise globally, some of the sport’s brightest minds have teamed up to capitalize on its universal appeal in an adapted format. Yesterday, World Sevens Football (W7F) announced it would launch this May as a multi-city women’s soccer tournament.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #454

It’s PWHL expansion time

April 24, 2025

Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify

It’s happening!

The PWHL is officially growing. Yesterday, the upstart pro women’s hockey league announced it’s expanding to Vancouver for the 2025-26 season, delighting local fans who turned out in massive numbers during the PWHL Takeover Tour’s stop in the city.

On this episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Steph Rotz and Lauren Tuiskula dig into why Vancouver was chosen as the league’s first expansion team and what that means for the future of the PWHL. Let’s do that hockey.

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