NWSL Makes Super Bowl Week Part of Its 2027 Kickoff
The NWSL wants to be “woven into” ESPN’s first Super Bowl.
The Women's Professional Soccer League (NWSL) is strategically positioning its 2027 season to coincide with the Super Bowl, aiming to amplify its visibility and fan engagement. On Wednesday, the league announced that its regular season will commence in Los Angeles on ESPN, three days prior to the prestigious Super Bowl LXI in Southern California.
This bold move is part of the NWSL's ongoing efforts to leverage the prestige of the men's World Cup to boost its own profile and boost viewership. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman expressed the league's intent to align with the hype surrounding the men's World Cup, asserting that the NWSL will be intricately woven into the weekend's narratives.
This aligns with the league's successful strategy during the men's World Cup this summer, where the NWSL returned from a break and attracted substantial crowds, even selling out the New York Mets' Citi Field for a match between Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit. The 2027 season will mark the final year under the NWSL's current media deals with ESPN, CBS, Amazon Prime, and Ion.
However, due to a payment dispute, the league terminated its partnership with Victory+ last week. During a press conference, Berman affirmed that all broadcasters have shown enthusiasm for the NWSL product, and negotiations for future media deals are already underway. The primary focus for the next six to twelve months will be determining which weekends the NWSL can utilize to host new standout events that could be integrated into broadcasting contracts.
This decision hinges on the international calendar, which, as set by FIFA, extends until 2029. Berman emphasized that the next 12 to 18 months are crucial as the league navigates the evolving landscape of FIFA's international match schedule. The NWSL has reported impressive attendance figures for the current season, with a median attendance of 10,031 fans and an average attendance of 11,174 fans.
Merchandise sales have also surged, with a 178% increase compared to the first half of last season, and a 77% increase in first-week jersey sales.
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