NWSL expands deals with CBS, ESPN, teams with Victory+
NWSL expands deals with CBS, ESPN, teams with Victory+
The soccer league is making key updates to its media arrangements for the next two years.
Expansion is paying dividends for the National Women’s Soccer League. The league is adding franchises in both Boston and Denver, and some of its media partners want bigger pieces of the pie. On Tuesday, NWSL announced newly expanded distribution deals with CBS and ESPN, as well as the addition of a new media partner in the streamer Victory+.
Key Details:
- Great victory: Victory+ is adding 57 matches in each of the next two seasons.
- Sweet 16: ESPN is adding 16 more games each season, bringing its total to 33.
- Eye on the ball: CBS Sports is expanding its total game inventory to 38.
NWSL’s media deals run through 2027, so the new agreements announced on Tuesday are in effect for each of the next two seasons. The Victory+ streaming service will pick up 57 total matches over the course of the next two seasons, including 25 primetime broadcasts on Sunday evenings. All matches available on Victory+ will be free to stream, much like the deal the streamer made with the Dallas Stars to stream that team's games in 2024.
ESPN is also adding a great selection of new NWSL matches. It will get 16 more games per season in 2026 and 2027, bringing its total of regular-season games to 33. A new “Match of the Week” series will continue throughout the season and air on ABC or ESPN networks. The company will also get NWSL Decision Day games on the final day of the regular season. ESPN channels will continue to offer playoff games as well, bringing its total to 36.
CBS Sports started its NWSL deal with 22 matches spread across CBS, CBS Sports Network, and Paramount+. That number has now jumped to 38, with 10 regular season, 1 quarterfinal, 1 semifinal, and the NWSL championship game appearing on CBS, another 20 slated to appear on CBS Sports Network, and five more that have yet to be assigned a broadcast platform.
“We are expanding the discoverability and reach of NWSL matches because the demand is there,” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said. “These additional media packages will help us reach new audiences and build a new generation of fandom. The expanded commitments from CBS Sports and ESPN, paired with a new national Sunday night showcase with Victory+, bolster the NWSL’s trajectory of unprecedented growth.”
NWSL first signed its historic media deal with four partners in 2023: CBS, ESPN, Amazon’s streamer Prime Video, and Scripps Sports. Prime Video will continue to offer 27 total matches each season and Scripps will distribute 50 on ION. The owned-and-operated NWSL+ streamer will offer 40 total matches over the course of the season.
Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and more. Get free access with a Walmart+ subscription.
Paramount+ includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.