The latest NWSL expansion teams to be Utah, Bay Area and Boston.@NWSL (@afb825)#NWSL #futbol #soccerhttps://t.co/UmTkCurlLH— Beyond Women’s Sports (@BeyondWSports) January 29, 2023
Pretty surprising since we thought only one out of the three would be picked but they figure why not take all three.
Boston probably a year or two to get things settled. Another expansion team in same year with Boston? I’m hoping Austin.
Utah was always in for 2024 per an agreement when their previous franchise moved to KC. It was always going to be Utah and one more for 2024. Tampa, San Fran and Boston were three finalists for the spot with Utah. It looks like it will be San Fran with Utah. And, then Boston in the next expansion cycle. It gives Boston time to get things ready (a stadium), and it brings in another $50 million to the league.
Royals' return will be announced by the end of March. The chatter around #NWSL expansion has cooled a bit, but expect the official announcement of the return of the Utah Royals next month.The news at @TheAthletic: https://t.co/kMWpvnSyq6— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) February 28, 2023
It’s official: Utah’s royal return set for 2024.@NWSL@UtahRoyalsFC(@afb825)#NWSL #futbol #soccer https://t.co/MkZpy24WKo— Beyond Women’s Sports (@BeyondWSports) March 17, 2023
The NWSL is officially coming to the Bay Area in 2024!— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) April 4, 2023
They have not even set a start date for Boston. The reason they leaked Boston early is because it is a huge TV market. They are in the middle of contract negotiations for a new media deal. They need to show large TV markets.
Would they think some about East and West divisions? With Seattle, Portland, Bay Area, San Diego, Los Angeles, Utah, and possibly Houston, add one more team (Denver or Austin?) and you have a decent West division. (Probably overly strong, but ....). That would put Kansas City, Chicago, Louisville, Boston, Gotham, Washington, North Carolina, and Orlando in the East. Or, put KC in the West and add another team in the East (Philadelphia or Atlanta?).
Between Chicago & Orlando, both likely get relocated soon. Chicago has a stadium issue and nowhere else to play. Orlando has crappy ownership. I'd expect team #16 and these two franchises to be added/relocated to MLS owners in Atlanta, Cincinnati & Austin. Austin is being strongly rumored at team #16. The league probably splits into two conferences when this happens. EAST: Boston, Gotham, Washington, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Louisville, North Carolina, Kansas City WEST: Reign FC, Portland, Bay Area, Angel City, San Diego, Utah, Houston, Austin
Boston's a big TV market, but it doesn't pull numbers for soccer, so I don't think that's it. I think they leaked Boston as a date-TBD-odd-number-team to kick the door wide open for team 16. I can see CHI getting relocated, and have definitely seen chatter about it online, but ORL getting relocated or AUS being the likely 16 have not been talking points at all.
The Chicago Cubs owner is a possible buyer of Chicago (Mal Pugh's husband's Chicago Cubs). The other possible buyer also has Chicago ties. They are not moving. Orlando's owner is fairly new. And, he is also the Minnesota Vikings owner (he has deep pockets). If he moved them it would likely be to Minnesota, who has an MLS stadium and a dream training set up at the Vikings training complex (where the Minnesota Aurora play). https://www.sportico.com/leagues/so...-red-stars-sale-ricketts-pat-ryan-1234717261/ The Ricketts family, owners of MLB’s Chicago Cubs, and the family of longtime Chicago Bears minority owner Pat Ryan are part of two separate groups interested in the NWSL club, according to multiple sources familiar with the sale process who were not authorized to speak publicly.
Here is a visual: This is a good map. I think people complaining about the west coast getting another team probably forget how massive California is. The league also moving into another top 10 TV market is good for everyone. pic.twitter.com/0K740Sk5dJ— Lis Schendel Misses the Pac-12 (@lis_ashlee) April 4, 2023
Boston is a top 10 media market, and women's soccer has exploded world wide the past year plus. Boston is #9 and the Bay Area is #10. https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-market-size-nfl-mlb-nhl-nielsen-ratings/
Need another or 2 in Texas. One in Oklahoma and another in Colorado and Minnesota. Some in Canada like Vancouver and Toronto to balance the conferences.
Canadian expansion for the NWSL isn't happening with Canada starting up their own women's soccer league next year.
Aha I missed this earlier, direct from NWSL's own article about the Bay Area: https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/nat...ue-announces-expansion-to-bay-area-california Confirming it's not just a fan assumption
With St Louis City crushing it out of the gate in MLS it wouldn’t surprise me if that ownership group wanted to jump into NWSL as well