SWOT Analysis

Strengths of the Current NWSL

• Player accessibility • Cheaper ticket prices than the average professional team • FC Kansas City • Most expensive season tickets are $550 and $45 at the gate • Cheapest season ticket is $100 and $14 at the gate • Portland Thorns • Most expensive season ticket package is $900 and $90 per game • Cheapest season ticket package is $105 and $10.50 per game • World class players • Sponsorships with Nike, Coppertone, Mango, and a coalition of the Mexican, Canadian, and American Soccer Federations • Great family environment Evening the Playing Field

Weaknesses of the NWSL

• Lack of fan apparel for most teams • Small venues • FC Kansas City plays at Swope Soccer Village, which holds 3,557 fans • Sky Blue FC plays at Yurcak Field on the Rutgers University campus that holds 5,000 fans • Boston Breakers play at Jordan Field on the Harvard University campus, which holds 4,000 fans • Focuses too much on families; must also target adult soccer fans • YouTube streams for the games are poor quality • Travel and accommodations for players are sub-par • In August 2015, Portland Thorns FC players reported bedbugs in their hotel in Kansas City • No NWSL players association

I strongly believe in order to grow the women’s game we must create more roles for women on and off the pitch. I am not the only fan who agrees with this sentiment. In fact, many fans discussed this issue in the survey I sent out. Right now, a female coaches only one of 10 teams-Laura Harvey of the Seattle Reign FC. They have been extremely successful on the pitch, winning the NWSL Shield in the 2014 and 2015 season, which means they had the best record in the league for two years straight. More women also need to be in other areas, such as the front offices of NWSL organizations and behind the production of games. There needs to be more female commentators, camera operators, reporters, trainers, and even security guards. By hiring more women in roles off the pitch, it helps promote the women on the pitch.

Opportunities for the NWSL

• Capitalize on the youth soccer market • Sign marquee players • Enter the unsaturated market

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Property of Ellie Schneider 2016

SWOT ANALYSIS

Threats to the NWSL

• The league must take good care of their players when traveling and overall • Small venues make a higher attendance impossible, so after the World Cup, some venues couldn’t keep up with the increase in interest • Must retain adult soccer fans and produce a fun environment • Media coverage needs to increase to gain more fans • On off years when there are no world tournaments, fans may lose interest

Alternative Providers

• There is no other American women’s professional soccer league • The WNBA and WNHL who also provide entertainment through women’s professional sports • The WNHL finished its first season and has had success through a partnership with the NHL for the Winter Classic and through targeting areas where women’s hockey is popular

Value Proposition

• Affordable entertainment featuring world-class athletes • Entertainment for soccer fans • Unique fan experience • Great family activity

Critical Issues

• Growing to gain new soccer fans while holding onto those who have supported the league since the beginning • Raising ticket prices so teams make a profit that they can use to pay players, improve the season ticket holder experience, and enhance their marketing strategies • NWSL teams must focus on ticket revenue, because people want to see the product, which are the world-class athletes on the pitch

Property of Ellie Schneider 2016