A+E Networks & NWSL Tie Up for Joint Venture

CHICAGO: A+E Networks has taken an equity stake in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), with the two companies teaming up to launch NWSL Media, a new media and commercial JV sponsored by Lifetime.

NWSL Media will serve as the media and commercial division of the league, managing all of its global broadcast and sponsorship rights. The JV will handle the live streaming of all matches and produce the games in HD, with exclusive new and original digital content for pre-game, halftime and post-game segments. It will also oversee all digital assets for the NWSL, including a redesigned website, a new app and the league’s social media platforms.

Lifetime is an official sponsor and broadcast partner of the league in a three-year agreement, which kicks off in April. NWSL Media is currently negotiating with potential partners to stream the games that are not aired on the channel.

Nancy Dubuc, the president and CEO of A+E Networks, noted: “As a former college athlete, I know the importance of sports in the lives of women and girls and I couldn’t be more thrilled to join forces with NWSL and U.S. Soccer to ensure professional women athletes are elevated as the entire country can watch and be inspired by their strength and athleticism. The teams are filled with some of the best professional players in the world, and we are proud to welcome them to Lifetime.”

“This is a transformational partnership in the evolution of the league, and we are so appreciative of Nancy Dubuc and her team at A+E Networks as they take a leadership position in the growth of our league and create opportunities for young women,” said Jeff Plush, NWSL’s commissioner. “We are also extremely pleased to be able to present our fans with the most comprehensive national television and streaming packages in our history.”

“This partnership is not only tremendously significant in the continued growth of the NWSL, but representative of how far the league has come in four years and where it can go in the future,” added U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati. “A+E and its resources are a fantastic fit for women’s professional soccer and will have a major impact on continuing to raise the profile of what we feel is already the best and most competitive league in the world.”