NWSL Making Headlines

NWSL Expansion Teams Nearly Determined After Orlando Pride Becomes Champs

November 25, 2024

Good morning! Sportico calls the NWSL a “darling” for ambitious investors

NWSL Expansion Down to Cincy, Cleveland, Denver
The NWSL has officially narrowed its expansion process to three prospective ownership groups seeking to bring teams to Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Denver. Commissioner Jessica Berman announced the news during her state-of-the-league press conference in K.C. today. The league's 16th franchise is expected to debut in 2026 alongside a previously rewarded franchise recently named BOS Nation FC.  
^{Sports Business Journal}

Real Madrid President Florentino Perez Criticises FIFA, UEFA Over Football Calendar
“The calendar is linked to an alarming increase in injuries. UEFA and FIFA have added 14 matches of their own, equivalent to two and a half months of competition,” said Perez. “In total we have had 14 injuries and 22 injuries. We (have) already (had) nine cruciate injuries (in LaLiga).”
^{The Athletic}

NFL Flexes into ‘TNF’ For First Time
The NFL has moved the Week 16 matchup from the Broncos-Chargers from the weekend to Thursday night "in a first-of-its-kind move." The NFL "can't force teams to play two Thursday night" road games, meaning the Broncos "signed off on the move." The Bengals and Browns were initially scheduled to play "Thursday Night Football" that week, but their game "gets moved out of that slot and to Sunday afternoon." It is the first time in NFL history "a Thursday night game has been the subject of flex spending."
^{Denver Post via Sports Business Journal}

The NWSL Has Become the New Darling of Ambitious Investors
FOS’ Asli Pelit writes, “The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is closing out a historic season as it heads into a championship match at Kansas City’s CPKC Stadium, the first venue built specifically for a women’s sports franchise. 

“By increasingly capturing the attention of high-profile investors in recent years, the NWSL has positioned itself as one of the fastest-growing leagues in North America, both in terms of expansion and revenue opportunity.”
^{Front Office Sports}

Jason Kelce Set For ESPN Late-Night Show in 2025
SBJ’s Austin Karp reports: “‘They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce’ is set to join the roster of late-night TV shows just after the start of 2025 on ESPN. The former NFLer’s new program will have a five-episode run to start beginning Jan. 3 and 4 in conjunction with the end of the regular season and start to the playoffs. The one-hour show, whose title is an homage to NFL Films’ debut full length film, ‘They Call it Pro Football,’ will air in the 1am ET window each week.”
^{Sports Business Journal}

NBC Owners to Spin Off Golf Channel. What’s Next For the Network?
Golf’s James Cogan reports: “The owners of NBC’s suite of media and sports properties made Golf Channel part of a half-dozen cable networks that will be divested in the next 12 months and formed into a new publicly traded company, for now called ‘SpinCo’ until it decides on a name. Those networks, which include MSNBC, CNBC and USA Network, have generated more than $7 billion in revenue for Comcast in the last 12 months.

“How do Golf Channel and NBC, which have overlapping production and editorial operations, handle personnel in the split? How much of NBC’s $400ish million annual rights fee to the PGA Tour falls onto Golf Channel’s shoulders under the new corporate structure? If none or only some of it, does that make Golf Channel free to negotiate weekend broadcast agreements with other leagues, like, for example, LIV?”
^GOLF

St. Louis Blues Fire Drew Bannister and Hire Jim Montgomery as Coach
AP News’ Stephen Whyno reports: “Drew Bannister is out as coach of the St. Louis Blues after less than a full calendar year on the job. Jim Montgomery is back behind the bench of an NHL team five days after he was fired by the Boston Bruins.

“Armstrong showed no hesitation in cutting ties with Bannister, who had the interim tag removed from his title and was named full-time coach in May. Bannister was promoted from Springfield of the American Hockey League to replace 2019 Cup-winning coach Craig Berube last December, and the Blues missed the playoffs despite winning 30 of their final 54 games.
^{AP News}

Tulsa Fires Football Coach Kevin Wilson Amid 3-8 Season
Tulsa announced Sunday that it has fired football coach Kevin Wilson one day after a 63-30 loss to USF, which dropped the team to 3-8 this season. Wide receivers coach Ryan Switzer has been named interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

“With the rapidly evolving landscape of college athletics, we know the importance of positioning our football program and athletic department to thrive and excel in the upcoming years,” Tulsa athletic director Justin Moore said in a statement.”
^{The Athletic}

Leicester City Sack Manager Steve Cooper After Defeat by Chelsea
Steve Cooper has been sacked as manager of Leicester City after five months in charge at the King Power Stadium. Cooper, 44, departs following Leicester’s 2-1 loss to Chelsea on Saturday. The defeat leaves the club 16th in the Premier League table, having taken 10 points from their opening 12 games.
^{The Athletic}

How the Orlando Pride Went From ‘Butt of Many Jokes’ to NWSL Champions
Yahoo Sports’ Henry Bushnell writes, “When did the Orlando Pride know? Let’s begin at the players-only meeting. Two dozen determined women gathered at their training facility this past winter; they talked through their shared identity and values, then sketched out their 2024 NWSL season. They went ‘game by game,’ vice-captain Kylie Strom remembers, jotting down predictions on a piece of paper. History suggested they should land right around 30 points — and outside the playoffs, as Orlando had in all but one previous campaign.

“Instead, Strom said, ‘I think we gave ourselves 54 points’ — more than they’d earned in 2022 and 2023 combined. They looked around the meeting room, acknowledging the apparent absurdity — but hung the piece of paper in their locker room anyway.

“And nine months later, here they are, champions.”
^{Yahoo! Sports}

ACC Lawsuit Against Florida State Should Be Dismissed, 12 AGs Say
A dozen states are asking the North Carolina Supreme Court to throw out the ACC’s lawsuit against Florida State. In a brief obtained by The Athletic, the attorneys general of those 12 states said the case should be dismissed because Florida State never agreed to be sued outside of Florida.

As The Athletic’s Matt Baker writes, “This week’s argument centers on sovereign immunity. That’s the concept that generally shields state entities (like public schools) from being sued in other states. The ACC contends Florida State and Clemson waived that right by joining and remaining in the conference, which is based in North Carolina.”
^{The Athletic}

🦃 🦃 ⇢ ⇢ And because it’s Thanksgiving week, we thought we’d share this feel-good story at the high school level:

California School for the Deaf-Riverside Tops Flintridge Prep to Win 3rd straight CIF Championship
The California School for the Deaf won their third consecutive football championship on Friday night. The Riverside-based team took on the Flintridge Preparatory School in La Cañada Flintridge. Both teams entered the matchup with undefeated records. It was the first time Flintridge Prep had reached the championship game in more than 20 years.

After trailing for much of the game, the School for the Deaf came out on top in the final moments. The players and coaches communicate using American sign language.

"We're making history -- three straight, three-peat," head coach Keith Adams said in a sign-language interview of the 44-42 win.

Thanks for reading!

Sport & Story Daily is the sports industry’s daily resource for business news. In addition to serving up exclusive trends, Q&As, and columns, the newsletter connects readers to top platforms and stories from across the sports landscape.

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here!

Feel free to read our Privacy Policy