NWSL and MLS Partnerships

Goal: Have at least 75 percent of NWSL teams be affiliated with MLS clubs.

• Current situation • As of the 2016 season, only three MLS clubs are under the same organization as an NWSL team, despite having eight NWSL teams in the same city as an MLS team. • Current Teams • Portland • NWSL: Portland Thorns FC • MLS: Portland Timbers (affiliate) Staffing Scenario • Seattle The FCKC staff in the 2016 season was made up of: • NWSL: Seattle Reign • General Manager • MLS: Seattle Sounders • VP Business Operations (not affiliated) • He is also the main marketing person. There is no marketing team and they do not use an outside agency • Kansas City for marketing support. • NWSL: FC Kansas City • Director of Sales & Marketing • MLS: Sporting KC (some • Ticket Sales Account Representative affiliation, but not the • PR & Social Media Director • same owners) Washington D.C. • • • Director of Merchandise and Affiliates Assistant General Manager Graphics Design • NWSL: Washington • One office intern working solely with ticket sales Spirit • MLS: DC United (not For teams with MLS affiliations, NWSL teams have a manager affiliated) dedicated to that team, but they share front office staffs. Therefore, • Houston the MLS and NWSL teams under one organization have larger staffs, budgets, and more opportunities. • NWSL: Houston Dash • MLS: Houston Dynamo (affiliate) • Rochester • NWSL: Western New York Flash • New Jersey • NWSL: Sky Blue FC • Chicago • NWSL: Chicago Red Stars • MLS: Chicago Fire FC (not affiliated) • Boston • NWSL: Boston Breakers • MLS: New England Revolution (not affiliated)

14

Property of Ellie Schneider 2016

NWSL AND MLS PARTNERSHIPS

• Orlando • NWSL: Orlando Pride • MLS: Orlando City SC (affiliated)

• Marketing • The MLS fans will be more likely to support the women’s team if there is an affiliation that connects the teams because they want to be loyal to the whole organization. Additionally, true soccer fans appreciate the game, no matter who is playing.

• Fan Base • Statistics show that teams affiliated with MLS organizations have higher attendances. • Portland • Average attendance for the 2015 season: 15,639 • Average attendance for games post-World Cup in the 2015 season: 18,443 • Houston • Average attendance for 2015 season: 6,413 • Average attendance for games post-World Cup in the 2015 season: 8,408 • Orlando Pride • Attendance for inaugural home match: 23,403—breaking the NWSL attendance record of 21,144 previously held by the Portland Thorns

• Predicated Teams • Future City Predictions Based on Interest • Salt Lake City • Atlanta • Indianapolis • Pittsburgh • Los Angeles • Sacramento • Canada (based on rise of popularity in the women’s game since the success of the 2015 FIFA Women’ World Cup)

Expansion Possibility In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Don Garber, MLS Commissioner, spoke about NWSL expansion and affiliation with MLS team: “Our goal is to raise the overall perception of professional soccer in this country–both men’s and women’s, our leagues and others,” Garber said. “I think as the women’s game gets more and more popular, it just makes sense for teams that have the infrastructure to add NWSL teams.”

Property of Ellie Schneider 2016

15

NWSL AND MLS PARTNERSHIPS

• Benefits from partnerships • Must be mutually beneficial (i.e. growing both fan bases) • Creates and promotes a “one team” mentality • Draws more families to the MLS and more soccer fanatics to the NWSL • Teams share resources, allowing both teams to be successful

• Partnership ideas • Community service projects • Just like the NBA performs service projects along with WNBA players, the MLS and NWSL teams should work together to grow soccer in their communities and establish a connection between the teams for the greater good of the local area. • Combined advertisements • Having players from both teams in an advertisement to promote both teams would help strengthen the connection between fans of the men’s game and fan’s of the women’s game while encouraging fans to support both teams. • In 2016, the NBA released a video in support of the WNBA’s 20th season. In the video, NBA players discussed how WNBA players inspire them and teach them about basketball. The MLS and NWSL players could easily create a similar video and receive a great response from soccer lovers everywhere. • Double header games • While these games would not bring in additional revenue, they would be a great marketing tool to help connect the two fan bases and grow women’s soccer in a market where men’s soccer is already successful. The idea would be to grow soccer in general, not based on the gender of the players. • Season ticket holder event for season ticket holders of both clubs

One Team Other valuable partnerships include joining with other professional women’s sports teams. This includes the WNBA, WNHL, and other small leagues. More support from women’s athletes can only benefit both teams. It is also vital for US Soccer to support the NWSL. They must be more collaborative in terms of sponsorship, scheduling games, paying players, and growing the game of soccer.

Governing Body Support

16

Property of Ellie Schneider 2016

NWSL AND MLS PARTNERSHIPS

• How to create these partnerships • The first step is to have the owners meet and come to an agreement • Sometimes owning a women’s team means carrying a debt, but the positives from aspects besides revenue are beneficial to the entire organization. • Most MLS stadiums cost upwards of $50,000 to run for one game, so the women may not play all of their games in that atmosphere. • It is still important to present the women’s team with a suitable and professional playing field that also caters to all of the fan’s needs.

Property of Ellie Schneider 2016