From a general standpoint, it seems like all the momentum in the race for the 16th National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) has been with Cincinnati's bid in recent weeks. Tuesday's report indicated that this is not the reality, and that… The race is between Cincinnati, Cleveland and Denver The Denver bid was won.
Tuesday's report from Sportico The NWSL and Denver Bid Group said they have entered into exclusive negotiations, and that the two major groups in Cincinnati and Cleveland will be informed of this development soon.
The range of expansion fees Denver is scheduled to pay ranges from $105 million to $120 million, according to the article.
There was one clear caveat in Sportico's story. The sources said: “Nothing has been finalized, and it may take weeks or months to reach a signed agreement.”
Official of the Cincinnati Show group led FC Cincinnati owners and WNBA star Kaitlin Clark She did not immediately respond to The Enquirer's request for comment.
So has the NWSL actually reached a conclusion in the expansion race, which it said will be decided by the end of this month?
In what appeared to be some kind of acknowledgment of the development in the expansion race, the X account for the Cleveland Expository Group (formerly Twitter) appeared to concede the race, saying: “We will not be the 16th team in the NWSL.”
Cincinnati was named one of three finalists in the race to become the NWSL's 16th franchise during a press conference on November 22.
The league selected Cincinnati, Cleveland and Denver as finalists in the process less than a day after it was revealed that Clark was part of Cincinnati's potential ownership group.
Cincinnati officials confirmed Clark's involvement on November 21. While the NFL has been no stranger to investing celebrities and athletes among its owners, league commissioner Jessica Berman said the league is honored by Clark's interest.
“Her interest in the NWSL is an honor,” Berman said. “We couldn't be more excited about her sharing her personal story of being a young soccer player and her love for the game, and her messages about being a multi-sport athlete are so important to young kids who aspire to be just like her. The future is bright for how we can work with her or others.” “Influential people who are interested in participating in and growing our league.”
What will the NWSL go through in Cincinnati?
The NWSL has a ready-made dance partner in Cincinnati. Reject that, and you will have rejected the closest thing in this expansion race to a sure thing.
With FC Cincinnati ownership playing a role in NWSL Cincinnati's bid, top-tier women's soccer would have gained:
- Installed infrastructure at the TQL Stadium, and use of temporary facilities at the proposed new training center which will be designed specifically for the women's team. Having separate facilities for MLS and NWSL franchises would be a key element in addressing the NWSL's concerns about MLS and NWSL clubs under the same ownership umbrella. Cincinnati president and co-CEO Jeff Berding explained what the arrangement could look like in a Dec. 3 interview with The Athletic.
- FC Cincinnati's current front office, including staff mentors, was committed to helping launch a potential NWSL franchise in the city in a successful and competitive manner, explained FC Cincinnati General Manager Chris Albright in a press conference in December. This is the same front office experts and staff who have lifted the FCC from last place three straight times to a reliable contender in the MLS Cup.
- A proven fan base and a history of producing elite female talent in football. The popularity of soccer in Cincinnati is no longer a mere speculation, and FC Cincinnati has become one of the biggest attractions in Major League Soccer. And if you have any doubts that these same fans and others will support an NFL team, consider this: Cincinnati isn't just a recent hotspot for producing women's soccer talent in America. Cincinnati has been producing international-level players for decades (think: Heather Metts of St. Ursula Academy in East Walnut Hills). This goes much deeper than Rose Lavelle (Mount Notre Dame), who happens to be one of the best players in the world, along with other USWNT veterans like goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury (St. Ursula Academy) and MLS vets like Baylee Feist . (Oak Hills High School) and M.A. Vignola (St. Ursula Academy). All of this is to say that the history of women's soccer in Cincinnati is perhaps deeper than that of men's soccer here.
- FC Cincinnati was committed to making the co-field mode work at TQL Stadium. The club was sensitive to the NWSL's concerns about putting MLS and NWSL franchises under one roof, as women's teams in those equations in particular had to adapt to MLS schedules. The future of the NWSL may be in a purpose-built stadium with women's teams as the primary tenant, but TQL Stadium would have operated in Cincinnati. The show group in Cincinnati was aware of these concerns and prepared to address them.
- You had Caitlin Clarke on board, and the NWSL would tell her “no”? Good luck explaining that. Clark is one of the most popular figures in all of sports. Her reach extends beyond the world of women's sports and would have brought significant interest to the entire league. Football in this country is not at a point where it can rule out the kind of appeal that Caitlin Clarke has. Leaving it on the sidelines would be an interesting decision.
2024-12-17 21:20:28
