The 2021 NWSL season, which begins this weekend, already looks a lot different than in years past — and it’s not just fresh kits that are giving the league a new look.

As the season gets underway, NWSL teams have begun to harness the power of social media to change the face of the game. Social has provided clubs with a unique opportunity to grow their brands and engage their communities on their own terms.

NJ/NY Gotham FC, the club formally known as Sky Blue, started 2021 off with a social media campaign to announce its rebrand.

📍HOME. pic.twitter.com/pHq4MDn5mY

— NJ/NY Gotham FC (@GothamFC) April 6, 2021

After the initial unveiling, social drove much of the team’s continued rebranding efforts, helping the club introduce itself to its expanded market. Gotham needed to find a way to appeal to both New Jersey and New York fans ahead of the 2021 Challenge Cup. This is where social media really came in handy.

Posting a photo of Jon Bon Jovi in Gotham FC gear to Twitter proved to be New Jersey content gold.

Some teams send their merch to space, we send ours to New Jersey legend @jonbonjovi 👍 pic.twitter.com/cVFqpM2D57

— NJ/NY Gotham FC (@GothamFC) April 30, 2021

On the New York side of the social media campaign, Gotham engaged with Bronx legend, The Kid Mero, one half of Showtime’s comedy duo Desus & Mero. (Having Midge Purce be the face of their squad doesn’t hurt, either.)

@NWSL CHAMPS BOOK IT JUHUURDDDD https://t.co/eAAODtdDgN

— THE KID MERO 🇩🇴 (@THEKIDMERO) May 3, 2021

It’s not just anecdotal evidence that underscores Gotham’s success. There are numbers to back up the team’s online strategy, as well.

Data gathered by Zoomph shows that Gotham FC had 12 million Twitter impressions during the 2021 Challenge Cup, the most of any team in the league. This type of engagement underscores an eager fan base and potential for growth, bolstering current sponsorships and attracting future partnerships.

The team’s online victory also transferred to the field, with Gotham narrowly losing to Portland in the Challenge Cup final.

"I'm really trying to buy into this whole good girl gone bad theme that I did, is like the Sky Blue to Gotham thing... We are not the same team that we used to be." - Midge Purce postgame tonight#NWSL

— Steph Yang | Horrible Soccer Goose (@thrace) April 21, 2021

The Orlando Pride are another NWSL squad operating at the forefront of social media. The team currently has the most Twitter followers of any club in the league at 125,000 and counting.

The 2020 Challenge Cup was a turning point for the team both on and off the field. When the Pride were ruled out of the tournament due to COVID-19 protocols, the social team decided it was an opportunity for them to try something new.

Even though they weren’t physically in the bubble, they made their presence known online. The team continued to put out creative content that struck a conversational tone and resonated with fans. As a result, Orlando led the league in Twitter engagements during a tournament it didn’t even attend.

The Pride’s social strategy has lived on since their time as Challenge Cup outsiders, evolving into one of the most successful campaigns in the NWSL. Zoomph estimates that Orlando’s Twitter impressions during the 2021 Challenge Cup alone were worth a quarter-million dollars.

Our @NWSL Challenge Cup #PrideStan has been nominated for the Best in Sports Social Media Award by the @sbjsbd: https://t.co/xkAdocX34e

We're honored by the nomination and big thanks to everybody that joined the stan! pic.twitter.com/ZJilDqSUKn

— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) May 3, 2021

New clubs are getting in on the online action, too. In their debut season, Racing Louisville ranks third on Twitter and Facebook for social value, according to Zoomph. Angel City has yet to field a team and already boasts 82,000 Twitter followers.

All of this creative energy going into social campaigns is translating to dollars, which ultimately benefits league sponsors.

Data shows that Budweiser’s NWSL sponsorship has affected consumer behavior. According to a Zoomph report in September, NWSL fans, when compared to the average sports fan in the United States, are 1.7 times more likely to have an affinity for beer, and especially for Budweiser.

NEWS: @budweiser becomes the first official beer sponsor of the #NWSL.

Details ➡️ https://t.co/jzYdmdUVvY pic.twitter.com/oIlkvoDLsW

— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) July 7, 2019

To Just Women’s Sports CEO & Founder Haley Rosen, social media numbers show just how undeniable women’s sports are. When players like Alex Morgan have 9.2 million followers on Instagram, the conversation advances beyond interest toward investment.

Shout it from the rooftops. 👏 https://t.co/wf6qrKzCgp

— AlexisOhanian.eth 7️⃣7️⃣6️⃣ (@alexisohanian) May 6, 2021

Players and teams are becoming increasingly savvy in the ways they engage with fans and communities directly through social media, cultivating trusted relationships and distinct brands.

As the NWSL moves into the regular season, the teams’ growing online platforms provide a new lane for audience growth, engagement, entertainment and investment.

J.Crew is hitting the slopes with Team USA for the 2026 Winter Olympics, dropping a limited-edition retail collection in collaboration with US Ski & Snowboard this week.

The apparel giant tapped six members of Team USA to model the capsule, including 2018 and 2022 Olympic snowboarder Hailey Langland, 2018 Olympic mogul skier Tess Johnson, and freestyle skier Rell Harwood, who is aiming to make her Olympic debut this year.

The move comes after the brand announced a three-year deal with the winter sports' national governing body, with J.Crew signing on as an official partner of US Ski & Snowboard.

"We're proud to elevate the sport and its athletes at a moment when excitement around snow sports is higher than ever," said J.Crew Group CEO Libby Wadle.

Using themes, patterns, and patches from both the governing org's and J.Crew's historic archives, the inaugural 26-piece collection features knitwear, winter accessories, loungewear, and — in conjunction with US Ski & Snowboard partner Kappa — technical ski jackets.

With items for all ages, the capsule collection will not factor into Team USA's official Olympic uniform, but will provide retro "après-ski-style" flair for both athletes and fans.

How to purchase the Team USA x J.Crew Winter Olympics collection

The full US Ski & Snowboard collection from J.Crew will hit the retailer's online store on Thursday, though fans can sign up for the official drop notification today.

The Australian Open is raising the bar for 2026, with the first Grand Slam of the tennis season boosting its total prize pool to a record $74.9 million — a 16% increase over the 2025 tournament.

Top-finishers in both the women's and men's competitions will now receive checks worth $2.79 million — 19% more than 2025's champions — while a player exiting in the main draw's first round will earn approximately $101,000, a 14% year-over-year increase.

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The annual competition has long been a pioneer in promoting equal pay, following the US Open's 1973 move by becoming the second Slam to guarantee a 50-50 breakdown between the WTA and ATP in 2001.

"This 16% increase demonstrates our commitment to supporting tennis careers at every level," said Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley in the governing body's Tuesday announcement. "From boosting qualifying prize money by 55% since 2023 to enhancing player benefits, we're ensuring professional tennis is sustainable for all competitors."

"This investment strengthens tennis's foundation, ensuring the sport's long-term health and commercial growth," added Tiley. "By supporting players at all levels, we're building deeper talent pools and more compelling storylines for fans."

How to watch the 2026 Australian Open

US star and world No. 7 Madison Keys will look to defend her trophy when the main draw of the 2026 Australian Open kicks off at 7 PM ET on Saturday, January 17th.

Live coverage of the season's first Slam will air across ESPN platforms.

LPGA stars will soon be hitting the virtual links, as the pro women's tour is teaming up with TMRW Sports to launch the all-new WTGL next winter.

The indoor team golf platform will build off the success of the second-year men's venture Tomorrow's Golf League (TGL) — a 2025 upstart co-founded by PGA stars Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy — which merges traditional golf with simulated play to provide avenues for offseason competition.

"I've seen how new formats can engage audiences while showcasing both athlete personality and performance, and WTGL brings that spirit of innovation to the women's game," said commissioner Craig Kessler in the LPGA's Tuesday press release. It creates another global stage for our athletes — one that helps fans connect more deeply with them and continues to elevate the visibility and growth of women's golf."

US fan favorite Lexi Thompson unveiled the news on ESPN's SportsCenter on Tuesday, promising a star-studded roster of LPGA standouts, with WTGL participants and teams dropping in the upcoming months.

"It just brings a whole different fan base to the game of golf," said the 2022 Women's PGA Championship runner-up. "[Fans can] see the personalities of the guys, and now the women. So, it's just amazing for the game of golf in general, but especially the women's side."

Professional volleyball is back in action this week, with both League One Volleyball (LOVB) and Major League Volleyball (MLV) kicking off their 2026 seasons as the sport's pro landscape continues to grow.

Featuring an Olympian-heavy player pool, LOVB is returning with its six inaugural teams as reigning champion Austin looks to run the title back this season before the second-year league adds three new clubs in 2027.

Meanwhile, following a blockbuster merger with the two-season-old Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF), MLV will start serving with eight teams as 2025 PVF champs Orlando Valkyries embarks on their own title defense, all while the new conglomerate eyes more future expansion.

As NCAA volleyball continues to dominate the fall calendar, multiple pro leagues — each armed with top talent and broadcast deals — are forming in response to demand from both players and fans.

How to watch the 2026 season starts of LOVB and MLV

LOVB hits the 2026 court first with a rematch of the league's 2025 championship, with defending title-winners Austin facing runners-up Nebraska at 6 PM ET on Wednesday, airing on USA Network.

Then on Thursday, MLV enters the fray as the Atlanta Vibe hosts the Columbus Fury at 7 PM ET before the San Diego Mojo visits the Omaha Supernovas at 8 PM ET. Both MLV matches will stream live on YouTube.