The NWSL announced new media rights deals Thursday, unveiling four-year partnerships with CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime Video and Scripps Sports.
The package is worth $60 million per year and $240 million over the four-year term, one source familiar with the agreements told Just Women’s Sports. In total, the broadcasters will distribute 118 matches over the next four seasons, with the NWSL Championship to air on CBS.
“These partnerships fundamentally change the game for our league and the players who take the pitch each week,” NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said in a news release. “We have taken great care to ensure our games are discoverable by increasing our reach in order to expose new audiences to everything that makes our league special, without compromising the economic value of our product. This is the beginning of our future.”
CBS will air a minimum of 21 games each season, spread across CBS, CBS Sports Network and Paramount+. A minimum of 10 games will air on CBS and Paramount+ and eight on CBS Sports Network during the regular season.
CBS and Paramount+ also will air one quarterfinal and one semifinal per season, as well as the NWSL Championship.
“We’re thrilled to extend our relationship with the NWSL, continuing as the home of the NWSL Championship and offering an expanded slate of matches on CBS as we build on the success of the last four years,” CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus said in a news release. “Extending this partnership further demonstrates our commitment to elevating women’s sports as we continue to work hand-in-hand with the NWSL to highlight the world’s best women’s soccer players.”
Prime Video will air 27 total games, including kicking off each matchweek of the regular season on Friday nights. Prime Video also will broadcast the season-opening match and one quarterfinal per season.
ESPN will air 17 regular-season games, as well as two quarterfinals and one semifinal, to bring its total to 20 games per season. Scripps will air 50 total games with 25 exclusive Saturday night doubleheaders on ION.
Ahead of each doubleheader, ION also will air a weekly studio show at 7 p.m. ET leading into the matches at 7:30 p.m. ET and 10 p.m. ET. Ion also will show the annual NWSL draft.
Games not included in the media rights package — for the 2024 season, that includes about 62% of the 190 games on the schedule — will be available on a direct-to-consumer service provided by the league, though the details have not yet been determined.