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{{short description|Professional soccer league
{{for|the former women's soccer league in Australia|Women's National Soccer League}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
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| levels = [[United States soccer league system#Women's leagues|1]]
| domest_cup =
| league_cup = {{plainlist|
* [[NWSL Challenge Cup]] | confed_cup = {{plainlist|▼
* [[NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup]]
}}
| champions = [[NJ/NY Gotham FC]] <br />(1st title)
| season = [[2023 National Women's Soccer League season|2023]]
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| most_shields = [[North Carolina Courage]]<br />[[Seattle Reign FC]]<br />(3 shields each)
| most_appearances = [[Lauren Barnes]] (200)<br />''{{small|(as of March 16, 2024)}}''
| top_goalscorer = [[
| tv = [[CBS Sports]]<br>[[Soccer on ESPN/ABC|ESPN/ABC]]<br>[[Sports on Prime Video|Prime Video]]<br>[[Scripps Sports]]
| website = {{URL|nwslsoccer.com/}}
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The '''National Women's Soccer League''' ('''NWSL''') is a professional [[Women's association football|women's soccer]] league at the top of the [[United States soccer league system#Women's leagues|United States league system]] (alongside the [[USL Super League]]).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240209-new-women-s-top-tier-league-given-green-light-by-us-soccer | title=New women's top tier league given green light by US Soccer | date=February 9, 2024 }}</ref> Headquartered in [[New York City]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Closing-Bell/2022/07/13/NWSL-moving-headquarters.aspx |title=NWSL moving HQ to N.Y. from Chicago |date=July 13, 2022 |access-date=May 8, 2023 |work=[[Sports Business Journal]] |first=Alex |last=Silverman}}</ref> it is owned by the teams and, until 2020, was under a management contract with the [[United States Soccer Federation]].<ref name="ussf_out" />
The NWSL was established in 2012 as the successor to [[Women's Professional Soccer]] (WPS; 2007–2012), which was itself the successor to [[Women's United Soccer Association]] (2001–2003). The league began play in 2013 with eight teams, four of which were former members of WPS (Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, Sky Blue FC, and Western New York Flash).<ref>{{cite web|title=Will NWSL be a success? Well ...|url=
Through the 2023 season, six teams (one now defunct) have been crowned NWSL Champions, awarded to the playoff winner, and five teams (one defunct) have claimed the [[NWSL Shield]], awarded to the team in first place at the end of the regular season. The current (2023) NWSL champions are [[NJ/NY Gotham FC]], and the current shield winners (2023) are [[San Diego Wave FC]].
== Competition format ==
{{as of|2024|post=,}} the NWSL season runs from March to November and a playoff tournament occurs after the season culminating in the NWSL championship game in late November. The NWSL has transitioned the NWSL Challenge Cup to a
The current playoff format began in [[2024 NWSL season|2024]].<ref name="nwsl-2024"/> From 2021 to 2023, the playoffs included six teams, with the top two teams receiving byes to the semi-finals.<ref name="new playoff">{{cite news |title=NWSL Announces Innovative 2021 Competition Framework |url=https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/article/nwsl-announces-innovative-2021-competition-framework |access-date=November 18, 2020 |publisher=NWSL |date=November 18, 2020}}</ref> Prior to 2021, the [[NWSL Playoffs|playoffs]] included only four teams.<ref name=nwsl_regs_2018>{{cite web|title=2018 Competition Rules and Regulations|url=http://www.nwslsoccer.com/rules-regulations|publisher=National Women's Soccer League|access-date=July 18, 2018}}</ref> The number of regular-season matches had also fluctuated between 20 and 24 in past seasons.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Lowdown: My thoughts on the 2016 NWSL schedule|work=The Equalizer|url=http://equalizersoccer.com/2016/03/02/the-lowdown-my-thoughts-on-the-2016-nwsl-schedule/|date=March 2, 2016|access-date=May 10, 2016}}</ref> In 2021 and 2022 the Challenge Cup was a preseason tournament, while in 2023 it ran concurrently with the season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.olreign.com/news/2021/12/18/preliminaryschedule|title=NWSL Announces Preliminary Framework for 2022 Season|website=OL REIGN: WE ARE THE BOLD}}</ref>
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=== Founding ===
[[File:2022 NWSL Championship 08 - 10 year players.jpg|thumb|At the 2022 NWSL Championship, the league recognized some of the players who had competed in the league for all ten years of its existence.]]▼
After [[Women's Professional Soccer]] (WPS) officially folded in April 2012, the [[United States Soccer Federation]] (US Soccer) announced a roundtable for discussion of the future of women's professional soccer in the United States. The meeting, which included representatives from US Soccer, WPS teams, the [[USL W-League (1995–2015)|W-League]] (ceased operation in 2015), and the [[Women's Premier Soccer League]] (WPSL), was held in June. By November, after much discussion, owners from the Chicago Red Stars, Boston Breakers and US Soccer recruited an additional six teams. Compared to WPS, the teams would intentionally operate at a lower cost structure and manage growth in a sustainable way.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kassouf |first=Jeff |url=http://equalizersoccer.com/2012/06/29/new-womens-soccer-league-in-the-works-for-2013-following-meeting-in-chicago/ |title=New women's soccer league in the works for 2013 following meeting in Chicago |work=The Equalizer |date=June 29, 2012 |access-date=April 13, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Bell |first=Jack |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/14/sports/soccer/national-womens-soccer-league-to-begin-play.html |title=Another Attempt at Women's Circuit, but With a Twist |work=The New York Times |date=April 13, 2013 |url-access=limited|access-date=June 10, 2013}}</ref>
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On November 29, 2012, it was announced that [[Cheryl Bailey]] had been named executive director in the new league. Bailey had previously served as general manager of the [[United States women's national soccer team]] from 2007 to 2011, which included leading the support staff for the U.S. team during the [[2007 FIFA Women's World Cup|2007]] and [[2011 FIFA Women's World Cup]]s, as well as the [[2008 Summer Olympics]]. During her tenure with the [[United States women's national soccer team|women's national team]], she was in charge of all areas of administration including interfacing with clubs, team travel, payroll, and working with FIFA, CONCACAF, and other federations.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cheryl Bailey Named Executive Director of New Women's Soccer League|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2012/11/Cheryl-Bailey-Named-Executive-Director-of-New-Womens-Soccer-League.aspx|publisher=US Soccer|access-date=December 16, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121203043736/http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2012/11/Cheryl-Bailey-Named-Executive-Director-of-New-Womens-Soccer-League.aspx|archive-date=December 3, 2012}}</ref>
[[Nike, Inc.]] was selected as league sponsor, providing apparel to all teams as well as the game ball.<ref>{{cite news|url=
=== Early years ===
[[File:Sam Kerr (27579983777).jpg|thumb|280px|right|[[Sam Kerr]] during a [[Chicago Red Stars]] match, 2018. Set records for goals scored in a single season and won multiple Golden Boot awards during her time with [[Sky Blue FC]] and Chicago Red Stars.]]
The first NWSL game was held on April 13, 2013, as the [[Portland Thorns FC|Portland Thorns]] visited [[FC Kansas City]], playing to a 1–1 draw in front of a crowd of 6,784 fans at [[Shawnee Mission District Stadium]]. [[Renae Cuellar]] scored the first goal in league history.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fckansascity.com/2013/04/14/fc-kansas-city-earns-point-in-league-opener/|title=FC Kansas City earns point in league opener|publisher=FC Kansas City|date=April 14, 2013|access-date=August 27, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timbers.com/news/christine-sinclair-penalty-kick-leads-thorns-fc-1-1-draw-against-fc-kansas-city|title=Christine Sinclair penalty kick leads Thorns FC to 1–1 draw against FC Kansas City|publisher=Portland Thorns|date=April 13, 2013|access-date=August 27, 2015}}</ref> The 2013 season saw regular-season attendance average of 4,270, with a high of 17,619 on August 4 for Kansas City at Portland.<ref name=equalizer_2013attend>{{cite web|last=Jorstad |first=Keith |url=http://womens.soccerly.com/2013/08/20/nwsl-attendance-watch-week-19/ |title=NWSL Attendance Watch Week 19 |work=The Equalizer |date=August 20, 2013 |access-date=August 4, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nwslsoccer.com/News/2013Q3/744390.html |title=FC Kansas City earn playoff berth with 3–2 win over Thorns FC |publisher=National Women's Soccer League |date=August 4, 2013 |access-date=August 5, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140817101227/http://www.nwslsoccer.com/News/2013Q3/744390.html |archive-date=August 17, 2014 }}</ref>
The NWSL became the first U.S. professional women's soccer league to reach nine teams with the addition of [[Houston Dash]], backed by [[Major League Soccer]] (MLS) team [[Houston Dynamo]], in [[2014 National Women's Soccer League season|2014]]; expansion interest, particularly from MLS and USL teams, has continued.<ref name=fortune2015>{{cite web|last1=Moran|first1=Gwen|title=Pro women's soccer is having a moment. Here's how to make it last|url=http://fortune.com/2015/07/29/pro-womens-soccer-is-having-a-moment-heres-how-to-make-it-last/|work=Fortune|access-date=October 13, 2015|date=July 29, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Kassouf|first1=Jeff|title=Plush: Six cities interested in NWSL expansion|url=http://equalizersoccer.com/2015/03/19/nwsl-expansion-six-cities-exclusive-commissioner-jeff-plush/|work=The Equalizer|access-date=October 13, 2015|date=March 19, 2015}}</ref> The [[2015 National Women's Soccer League season|third season]] saw a shortened schedule and some early-season roster instability due to the [[2015 FIFA Women's World Cup]] in Canada, but the World Cup also provided exposure to the NWSL, which was credited with boosting attendance numbers across the league.<ref name=fortune2015 />
▲[[File:2022 NWSL Championship 08 - 10 year players.jpg|thumb|At the 2022 NWSL Championship, the league recognized some of the players who had competed in the league for all ten years of its existence.]]
The league also became the first professional women's league in the US to play more than three seasons when the league kicked off its fourth season in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|last1=McCauley|first1=Kevin|title=NWSL has survived longer than any other women's soccer league. |url=https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2016/4/15/11409908/nwsl-2016-season-wages-cap-salary-minimum|work=SBNation|access-date=December 20, 2017|date=April 15, 2016}}</ref>
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The NWSL teams are spread across the United States. Each club is allowed a minimum of 20 players on their roster, with a maximum of 22 players (26 when including supplemental players) allowed at any time during the season.<ref name=2013_roster_rules>{{cite web|title=2013 Roster Rules|url=http://www.nwslsoccer.com/home/about/732760.html|publisher=National Women's Soccer League|access-date=September 22, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150520105930/http://www.nwslsoccer.com/home/about/732760.html|archive-date=May 20, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Originally, each team's roster included up to three allocated [[United States women's national soccer team|American national team]] players, up to two allocated [[Mexico women's national football team|Mexico women's national team]] players, and up to two allocated [[Canada women's national soccer team|Canadian national team]] players via the [[NWSL Player Allocation]] and subsequent trades.<ref>{{cite web|title=NWSL allocation easier said than done|url=
Of the 14 teams contesting the [[2024 National Women's Soccer League season|2024 season]],
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
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| align=center| 2021
| align=center| 2022
| {{sortname|
|{{N/A}}
|-
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| align=center| 2013
| {{sortname|Laura|Harvey}}
| [[Seattle Sounders FC]] ([[Major League Soccer|MLS]])
|-
!scope="row"|[[Utah Royals]]{{efn|group=n|Known as Utah Royals FC from 2018 to 2020.}}
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| align=center | 2017
| align=center | 2024{{efn|group=n|Utah Royals FC initially joined the league in 2018 and played three seasons before ceasing operations at the end of 2020.}}
| {{sortname|
| [[Real Salt Lake]] ([[Major League Soccer|MLS]])
|-
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| style="text-align: center;"| 2012
| style="text-align: center;"| 2013
| {{sn|Jonatan|Giráldez}}
| {{efn|group=n|Washington Spirit, through shared ownership by [[Michele Kang]], is affiliated with women's soccer clubs [[Olympique Lyonnais Féminin]] and [[London City Lionesses]].<ref name="The District Press-2024"/>}}
|}
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The NWSL announced on October 22, 2019, that a team in [[Louisville, Kentucky]], affiliated with the city's [[USL Championship]] side [[Louisville City FC]], would join the league in 2021. The team was originally to be named Proof Louisville FC,<ref name=Proof>{{cite news |last1=Sullivan |first1=Tim |title=Louisville's NWSL expansion team has a name, and it's a nod to Kentucky's favorite spirit |url=https://eu.courier-journal.com/story/sports/soccer/2019/11/12/proof-louisville-fc-name-louisvilles-expansion-nwsl-team/2576756001/ |access-date=November 19, 2019 |work=Louisville Courier Journal |date=November 12, 2019}}</ref> but after significant disapproval from fans it was announced that the Proof Louisville FC branding would not necessarily be the final selection, and that the process to determine the team's identity would be restarted.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/louisville-nwsl-team-may-get-name-change/|title=Louisville NWSL team may get name change|date=April 22, 2020|website=SportBusiness}}</ref> On July 8, 2020, the Louisville team was rebranded as [[Racing Louisville FC]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Bob |title=NWSL Louisville team rebranded as Racing Louisville FC |url=https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/nwsl-louisville-team-rebranded-as-racing-louisville-fc/ |access-date=July 8, 2020 |publisher=SportBusiness |date=July 8, 2020}}</ref> and its associated visual identity was announced on the same day.<ref name="racing">{{cite press release |title=Racing Louisville FC Announced as NWSL's Newest Franchise |url=https://www.racingloufc.com/news_article/show/1112252 |access-date=July 8, 2020 |publisher=Racing Louisville FC |date=July 8, 2020 |archive-date=July 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200710220822/https://www.racingloufc.com/news_article/show/1112252 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Racing plays in [[Lynn Family Stadium]], which opened in 2020 as the new home of Louisville City.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/article/national-womens-soccer-league-announces-expansion-to-louisville-in-2021 |title=National Women's Soccer League announces expansion to Louisville in 2021 |publisher=National Women's Soccer League |date=October 22, 2019 |access-date=October 22, 2019}}</ref>
On July 21, 2020, the NWSL announced that a [[Los Angeles]]-based team will begin play in 2022.<ref name="NWSL LA">{{cite news |title=National Women's Soccer League awards expansion team rights to Los Angeles |url=https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/article/national-womens-soccer-league-awards-expansion-team-rights-to-los-angeles |access-date=December 9, 2020 |publisher=NWSL |date=July 21, 2020}}</ref> The team's ownership group, who call themselves "Angel City", is led by president and founder Julie Uhrman, a media and gaming entrepreneur; co-founders [[Natalie Portman]], an [[Academy Award for Best Actress|Oscar]]-winning actress, and venture capitalist [[Kara Nortman]]; venture capitalist [[Alexis Ohanian]] as lead founding investor;<ref name="la_website">{{cite web |title=We Are Angel City |url=https://weareangelcity.com/ |publisher=Angel City |access-date=July 21, 2020}}</ref> and additional investors including fourteen former USWNT members, most with ties to Southern California; actresses [[Uzo Aduba]], [[Jessica Chastain]], [[America Ferrera]], [[Jennifer Garner]], and [[Eva Longoria]]; talk show host [[Lilly Singh]]; and Ohanian's wife, tennis great [[Serena Williams]].<ref name="NWSL LA" /> In 2022, the Los Angeles NWSL team became the first American professional sports team founded by a majority-woman ownership group to begin play,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/
On December 7, 2020, the NWSL announced that an expansion team in Kansas City would join the league in 2021 and take over player-related assets from [[Utah Royals FC]].<ref name="royals_ceased">{{cite news |title=Kansas City Returns to the NWSL as Expansion Team in 2021 |url=https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/article/kansas-city-returns-to-the-nwsl-as-expansion-team-in-2021 |access-date=December 7, 2020 |publisher=NWSL |date=December 7, 2020}}</ref> The Royals ceased operations at the same time, but the new owners of Utah Soccer LLC (after [[Dell Loy Hansen]] completes the sale) would have the option of re-establishing the Royals franchise in 2023.<ref name="royals_phoenix">{{cite news |title=Utah Soccer LLC Transfers Ownership of Utah Royals FC to Group in Kansas City, Kansas |url=https://www.rsl.com/post/2020/12/06/utah-soccer-llc-transfers-ownership-utah-royals-fc-group-kansas-city-kansas |access-date=December 7, 2020 |publisher=Real Salt Lake |date=December 6, 2020}}</ref> The team played under the placeholder name of Kansas City NWSL in the 2021 season, announcing its permanent identity of [[Kansas City Current]] immediately before its final home game of that season on October 30.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.kansascitycurrent.com/news/kansas-city-current-reveals-name-and-crest-at-inaugural-seas |title=Kansas City Current Reveals Name and Crest at Inaugural Season Finale |publisher=Kansas City Current |date=October 30, 2021}}</ref>
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=== Stadiums and attendance ===
{{Main|List of National Women's Soccer League stadiums|National Women's Soccer League attendance}}
[[File:ChicagoRedStars at Wrigley 1.jpg|alt=Chicago Red Stars and Bay FC playing a soccer match at Wrigley Field.|thumb|A [[Chicago Red Stars]] and [[Bay FC]] match at Wrigley Field set a single-game attendance record of 35,038.]]
In the [[2024 National Women's Soccer League season|2024 season]], every NWSL team will use one stadium as its primary home venue.
The highest single-game attendance in the league's history was on June 8, 2024, for a game between the [[Chicago Red Stars]] and [[Bay FC]] at [[Wrigley Field]] which drew 35,038.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bay FC 2-1 Chicago (Jun 8, 2024) Final Score |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/697938/bay-fc-chicago-red-stars |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=ESPN |language=en}}</ref> This broke the league previous single-game attendance record of 34,130 from an October 6, 2023 game between [[Seattle Reign FC]] and the [[Washington Spirit]], which was [[Megan Rapinoe]]'s final regular season appearance.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-07 |title=OL Reign sets standalone NWSL attendance record for Rapinoe farewell game |url=https://prosoccerwire.usatoday.com/2023/10/06/nwsl-attendance-record-rapinoe-ol-reign-lumen-field/ |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=Pro Soccer Wire |language=en-US}}</ref>
On June 3, 2023, a double-header featuring Seattle Reign FC and [[Portland Thorns FC]] alongside a [[Major League Soccer]] matchup between the [[Seattle Sounders FC|Seattle Sounders]] and [[Portland Timbers]] drew an announced attendance of 42,054.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-03 |title=OL Reign lose to Thorns for first time since 2019 to cap soccer twinbill |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/reign/ol-reign-lose-to-thorns-for-first-time-since-2019-to-cap-soccer-twinbill/ |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=The Seattle Times |language=en-US}}</ref>
===Squad formation and salaries===
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The NWSL and the NWSLPA, the union representing all players in the NWSL, jointly announced on January 31, 2022, that they had entered into the league's first official collective bargaining agreement, which will run through the 2026 season. Under this agreement, the minimum player salary increased to $35,000 in the 2022 season. Free agency will formally be added; players with six seasons of NWSL service will become unrestricted free agents in 2023, with the required service time reduced to five seasons from 2024. Additionally, starting in 2024, players with three seasons of NWSL service will receive restricted free agency. Also, should the league become profitable in any season from 2024 to 2026, the players will receive 10 percent of the league's broadcast revenues in the applicable season.<ref name=2022CBA>{{cite press release|url=https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/national-womens-soccer-league-and-nwsl-players-association-agree-on-transformative-first-ever-cba-to-run-through-2026-season |title=National Women's Soccer League and NWSL Players Association Agree on Transformative, First-Ever CBA to Run Through 2026 Season |publisher=National Women's Soccer League |date=January 31, 2022 |accessdate=February 1, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://equalizersoccer.com/quick-update/nwsl-cba-details-maximum-salary-team-caps-age-limit/|title=NWSL CBA details: Max salary, team caps, more – Equalizer Soccer|first=Jeff|last=Kassouf|date=February 2022 }}</ref>
On August 25, 2022, the NWSLPA filed a grievance against the NWSL after the league announced the omission of 22 players from a list of 26 who would become eligible to negotiate free-agent contracts for the 2023 season. The league contended that the contracts of the 22 omitted players included one or more option years that each player's club must first decline to exercise by the deadline of November 15 before the player would be eligible for free agency. The players association contended that the contracts expired on their expiration date, and not the option exercise deadline. The players association expected the league to deny the grievance, and for the dispute to enter arbitration.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer
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The winner of the NWSL Championship, the final match of the [[NWSL Playoffs]], determines that season's NWSL champion. In addition to receiving the championship trophy, the champion gets to add a star to the crest on its jersey. The playoffs, a single-elimination knockout tournament, are organized by the league in a format similar to other North American professional sports leagues. At the conclusion of the regular season, the top eight teams in the standings earn a berth to the tournament;<ref name="nwsl-2024"/> prior to 2024 six teams qualified for the playoffs<ref name="new playoff"/> and prior to 2021, only the top four teams qualified for the playoffs. The league also awards the [[NWSL Shield]] to the team with the best record (most points) at the end of the regular season. Like the playoff championship, it is recognized as a major trophy by the league.
The first NWSL Championship was played on September 1, 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|url=
The trophies won by FC Kansas City and Western New York officially remain with those teams and were not transferred to the expansion or successor teams in Utah and North Carolina that were assigned their player-related assets. This was a non-issue for Utah Royals FC, which won no trophies before folding and having its player-related assets transferred to the franchise now known as the Kansas City Current.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2017/11/20/fc-kansas-city-of-womens-soccer-league-ends-operations/107881282/|title=FC Kansas City of women's soccer league ends operations|date=November 20, 2017|access-date=January 10, 2022|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://equalizersoccer.com/2017/10/11/the-lowdown-is-2017-nwsl-championship-a-rematch-or-isnt-it/|title=The Lowdown: Is 2017 NWSL Championship a rematch or isn't it?|date=October 11, 2017|access-date=January 10, 2022|publisher=The Equalizer|website=equalizersoccer.com}}</ref>
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== Broadcasting ==
[[File:Portland Thorns vs Chicago Red Stars cameras 20230521.jpg|thumb|The NWSL increased the number and quality of cameras used for matches during the [[2022 National Women's Soccer League season|2022 season]].]]▼
{{further|National Women's Soccer League on television}}
===2013–2016: YouTube, Fox Sports, ESPN===
[[File:Aly_wagner.jpg|thumb|right|175px|[[Aly Wagner]] former US Women's National Team player, provides insightful analysis and commentary for NWSL games, offering a player's perspective.]]
During the 2013–2016 seasons, the majority of league games were available for viewing via YouTube or via individual team's websites.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Women's Soccer League|url=https://www.youtube.com/nwslsoccer|via=YouTube|access-date=September 21, 2013}}</ref> Of the eight teams in the league during the inaugural season, the Boston Breakers were the only team that charged a fee for access to their broadcasts.<ref>{{cite web|last=Murray|first=Caitlin|title=Assessing Year 1, future of NWSL livestreams|url=http://equalizersoccer.com/2013/08/14/assessing-year-1-future-of-nwsl-livestreams/|work=The Equalizer|access-date=September 21, 2013|date=August 14, 2013}}</ref>
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=== 2020–2023: CBS Sports and Twitch ===
▲[[File:Portland Thorns vs Chicago Red Stars cameras 20230521.jpg|thumb|The NWSL increased the number and quality of cameras used for matches during the [[2022 National Women's Soccer League season|2022 season]].]]
In October 2019, the NWSL signed the agency [[Octagon (sports agency)|Octagon]] to market its media rights. It was reported that Octagon was pursuing multi-year agreements of at least three years and stronger broadcaster commitments, as to help build an audience and discourage broadcasters from acquiring NWSL rights to [[wikt:ride the coattails|ride the coattails]] of the U.S. national team and the FIFA Women's World Cup, but then "abandon" it afterward.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/nwsl-octagon-three-year-us-broadcast-deals-media-rights|title=Octagon insists on three-year minimums for NWSL US broadcast deals, says report|website= SportsPro Media|date=December 4, 2019|access-date=January 2, 2020}}</ref>
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Former general manager of the [[United States women's national soccer team]] [[Cheryl Bailey]] was announced by US Soccer President [[Sunil Gulati]] as the first commissioner of the NWSL on November 29, 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2014/03/17/13/26/cheryl-bailey-named-executive-director-of-new-womens-soccer-league|title=Cheryl Bailey Named Executive Director of New Women's Soccer League|website=ussoccer.com|access-date=March 9, 2019}}</ref> On November 18, 2014, she resigned after overseeing two seasons and the launch of the new professional league in less than five months ahead of the inaugural season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timbers.com/post/2014/11/18/nwsl-executive-director-cheryl-bailey-step-down|title=NWSL Executive Director Cheryl Bailey to step down|date=November 18, 2014|website=Portland Timbers}}</ref>
On January 6, 2015, [[Jeff Plush]], managing director of [[Colorado Rapids]] and a former [[MLS]] board member, was named as Bailey's successor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/nwsl-jeff-plush-is-new-commissioner-of-women-s-soccer-league-010615|title=NWSL names Jeff Plush as new women's soccer league commissioner|last1=Jan 6|first1=foxsports|last2=ET|first2=2015 at 6:27p|date=January 6, 2015|work=Fox Sports|access-date=March 9, 2019}}</ref> Plush oversaw the 2015 and 2016 seasons, including the Orlando Pride expansion, a broadcast partnership with A+E Networks (including the three-year broadcast deal with Lifetime television), and the sale of the Western New York Flash to [[North Carolina FC]] owner [[Stephen Malik]] and the team's relocation to North Carolina.<ref>{{Cite web|url=
|website=The Business Journals|access-date=March 9, 2019}}</ref>
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== See also ==
{{Portal bar|Women's association football|Association football|Sports}}
* [[List of foreign NWSL players]]
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{{National Women's Soccer League|state=expanded}}
{{United States women's national soccer team}}
{{US Women's soccer}}
{{CONCACAF women's leagues}}
{{Top level women's association football leagues around the world}}▼
{{Top sport leagues in the United States}}
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[[Category:Sports leagues established in 2012]]
[[Category:2012 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Women's soccer leagues in the United States
[[Category:Professional soccer leagues in the United States]]
[[Category:Top level association football leagues in North America]]
[[Category:Professional sports leagues in the United States]]
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