How can the NWSL expand from here?
Since its formation back in November 2012, the National Womens Soccer League has changed the face of US sport. Founded as the successor of the short-lived Womens Professional Soccer, the division has brought a new level of wealth and professionalism to the game. Whats more, the NWSL shows absolutely no signs of slowing down any time soon. Expansions, new revenue streams and much more will be implemented in the coming years, which is great news for followers of soccer. The league has also attracted attention from sports betting fans. 888 Sport is just one betting site that offers odds of the action. New bettors will be reached in the future as well, thanks to the spike in states that have legalized sports betting in recent years. This will naturally lead to more revenue in the league, therefore aiding expansion. If this has piqued your interest in the NWSL, you will want to read on. Below we have tracked the fascinating history of the league so far, as well as plotting a course for its continued expansion in the future. Enjoy! History of the NWSL  After WPS folded in April 2012, the big wigs of US womens soccer held lengthy roundtable discussions. Their plan was to plot a more sustainable future for the game, in which growth would be gradual and managed. What they came up with was the NWSL. During the inaugural 2013 season, eight teams competed. Players contracted to the USWNT were divided up evenly with additional players coming from two drafts  one for college prospects and one supplementary. Initially, each side played 22 games with the top four competing in the playoffs, which were won by Portland Thorns FC. The format has remained like this, with a few minor tweaks ever since. Over the course of NWSLs lifespan its teams have changed as well. While many have been added down the years, four have been removed. Namely, Boston Breakers, FC Kansas City, Utah Royals FC and Western New York Flash. All of these sides minus the Royals are previous NWSL champions. Expansion teams  The 2021 season saw the introduction of two new teams into the NWSL  Kansas City and Racing Louisville FC. The Latters arrival is particularly exciting. Louisville have never had an NWSL franchise before and they will be playing in the Lynn Family Stadium with a capacity of 15,000+. Things will get even more interesting in the 2022 season. At the start of that campaign two more teams will be joining the fray, Angel City FC and an unnamed San Diego franchise. Angel City is coming in with big plans. They have already secured a 22,000-seater stadium and count a number of high-profile celebrities among their ownership. Natalie Portman, Eva Longoria and Serena Williams all have a stake in the club. This can only be good news for the growth of the NWSL. Their owners have a global reach of billions and can use it to grow the profile of womens soccer across the globe. New TV Deal could have big impact  The 2021 NWSL season is set to be the most lucrative of all time. Because the league has signed an expensive broadcasting contract with CBS. The deal, penned in March 2020, means that for the next three seasons, every NWSL game will be shown exclusively on the network in the US. This new media-rights agreement is a watershed moment for womens soccer in the U.S. and around the world and is the first time NWSL matches will be available to such a wide audience. We are excited to work with CBS with its rich history, tradition and storied innovation to utilize the power of their multiple platforms to reach more fans. We also are eager to team up with Twitch to showcase the brightest stars in the sport. These partnerships will continue to amplify the NWSL and its teams on a national and international stage, league commissioner Lisa Baird said when the deal was announced. Baird was not exaggerating either. This really is a landmark for womens soccer. The demand for the sport has always been there. The problem has been access. The CBS deal solves that issue. Now, a generation of new viewers will grow up watching the competition. This will breed a new generation of both fans and players, which will help US soccers expansion over the coming decade. Other ways of increasing the leagues profile  Another key development in the NWSLs expansion is their recent severance of ties with the United States Soccer Federation. This spells the end of the designated player system whose wages were covered by the USWNT. This added independence could be crucial in the future. Free from the shackles of the federation the league will be free to explore its own brand deal, sponsorship and other promotional strategies. As the NWSL expands the fight for equal pay should be strengthened, aiding expansion as well. Aside from the well publicised USWNT case, domestic teams have also been banging the drum for equality. Key in the movement in Angel City, the entirely women owned franchise have said that they are not just thriving for on-field success. They also want off-field glory as well, in the form of increased professionalization and higher wages. If they can manage this, it will only be good news for womens soccer in general.