The NWSL releases its upcoming season schedule with broadcast details under new media deal
By ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer
The National Women’s Soccer League announced its schedule for the upcoming season, including broadcast plans under the league’s new $60 million per year media rights deal.
The Challenge Cup game will be played between 2023 NWSL champions Gotham FC and last year’s Supporters’ Shield winners, the San Diego Wave, on March 15 at New Jersey’s Red Bull Arena.
The regular season opens the next day with the Portland Thorns visiting the Kansas City Current at the new CPKC Stadium, the first built specifically for a professional women’s team. The game will be broadcast nationally on ABC.
“It’s where we belong,” Portland Thorns midfielder Sam Coffey said about the increased exposure. “Honestly, every team in this league, every female athlete, it’s where we belong. And it’s so exciting to know we have that platform, we’re on national television. It’s taken a while for us to get here, but it’s happening slowly but surely.”
The league’s new media rights agreement with CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime Video and Scripps Sports was announced last November. Combined, those platforms will broadcast 113 regular-season games, seven postseason games and the Challenge Cup.
The San Francisco Bay Area’s new expansion team, Bay FC, will play its inaugural match on March 16 at Angel City in Los Angeles. The Utah Royals, also joining the league this season, host the Chicago Red Stars on opening day.
The league’s 14 teams will compete in 26 regular-season matches, split between home and away. The regular season will end on Nov. 3. The playoffs, with an expanded field of eight teams, will start on Nov. 9 and the title game is scheduled for Nov. 23. The championship will be broadcast on CBS during primetime.
During the regular season, Friday matches will air on Prime Video. Every Saturday two games will be broadcast on Scripps’ ION network. CBS and its sports channels, as well as Paramount+, will air a package of matches, as will ESPN’s networks, including ABC and ESPN Deportes.
Matches that aren’t included on the broadcast schedule will be available on NWSL+, the league’s direct-to-consumer streaming service.
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