• Loading stock data...
Friday, June 20, 2025

Atalanta Media Looks to Grow Women’s Soccer with NBC Sports Deal

  • The FA Women’s Super League, the top-tier women’s soccer league in England, will be broadcast on U.S. TV for the first time thanks to a deal with NBC Sports.
  • The deal is part of the launch of Atalanta Media, which is focusing on growing the sport of women’s soccer.
Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports

FA Women’s Super League, the top-tier professional women’s soccer league in England, will be broadcast on U.S. television for the first time on Sept. 6 as part of a deal between NBC Sports and a new women’s soccer-focused company aiming to elevate the sport globally.

Atalanta Media, which is launching as a company alongside the rights deal, was founded by former Sky executive Hannah Brown and Esmeralda Negron, a former collegiate and professional women’s soccer player who has spent the last several years in sports marketing around soccer, specifically with Relevent Sports and its ICC Women’s tournament.

The company’s goal is to help grow the sport of women’s soccer globally, focusing mainly on media rights distribution deals such as this one as well as building a consumer platform that will better connect fans with content from women’s soccer leagues and players.

Negron said the impetus to found Atalanta Media came out of her own desire to watch more top-tier women’s soccer in the U.S. While the NWSL has been broadcast domestically throughout its eight-year existence, including a new deal with CBS, other leagues globally have had little visibility.

That has been increasingly noticeable in recent years as the popularity of the sport has grown massively alongside major European soccer clubs like Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Lyon, Manchester City and Manchester United all making or started to make larger investments into their women’s teams.

“Our idea was ‘what if we start to invest in these rights, purchase them and then partner with premium broadcast to deliver these matches,” Negron said. “Previously it had been stuck; the rights holders want money but for the broadcasters it’s not a proven concept so it makes it hard to invest. That leads to it never getting the distribution it needs to help generate fandom and provide the regular access to women’s club football to grow it.”

Atalanta Media acquired the broadcast rights for the Women’s Super League in the U.S., Germany and Italy. In the latter two countries, it has struck a deal with DAZN to stream matches.

In the U.S., NBC Sports will present 50 matches across its platforms, including more than a dozen on NBCSN. Other matches will be broadcast on the NBC Sports app and NBCSports.com

The deal comes at an exciting time for the Women’s Super League. Alongside that investment from English clubs has been an influx of global talent. That includes U.S. Women’s national team players Sam Mewis and Rose Lavelle, who both joined Manchester City following the NWSL Challenge Cup. Several other USWNT players are also rumored to join the league.

NWSL-Challenge-Cup

After Successful Challenge Cup, NWSL Teams Work to Maintain Momentum

The NWSL didn’t just successfully execute a bubble tournament that avoided a…
August 6, 2020

Negron said that Atalanta Media will look to acquire additional rights for women’s soccer leagues, and is already in negotiations with other properties.

She declined to comment further as the deals have not been announced as well as the financial terms around the NBC Sports deal, which is for at least one season.

Those investments are being aided by a seed investment from Miami-based investment firm 777 Partners, which has invested in other media and entertainment properties such as OTT sports streaming platform Fanatiz. Fanatiz will also provide WSL content as a result of the deal.

Atalanta Media will also look to create a larger community platform for young fans and players that will not only provide them access to match content and highlights but digital skills training as well.

The company will look to monetize that product to bring in additional revenue through sponsorships and other efforts, as well as partner with pro players so that they can leverage that platform to generate additional revenue as well.

“I think you’d be surprised at how few young girls in the U.S. know that there are these pro women’s teams for the biggest brands and clubs in the world, just because they are not broadcast and covered,” Negron said. “We want to give them the ability to see it and believe it.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Fire Rekindled? WNBA’s Portland Expansion Team Eyes Original Name

WNBA trademarks hint at Portland Fire revival as league expands and honors history.
Washington's Ben Gorsage, right, and Orland Park Sandburg's Mateo Ramiro-Garcia tangle at the start of the Class 3A state 800-meter run Saturday, May 31, 2025 at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. Gorsage took third place, followed by Ramiro-Garcia in fourth.

Dozens of Olympic Sports Have Been Cut in Wake of House v...

Tennis, track and field, and swimming and diving appear heavily impacted.
Jun 13, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) drives to the hoop past Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8), guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) and forward Chet Holmgren (7) during the third quarter of game four of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Pacers, Fever Overwhelmed by Demand for Merch

“We have people waiting to get in the store at 10 in the morning.”
John Fisher

A’s Owner John Fisher Eyes MLS Exit Ahead of Billion-Dollar Vegas Project

The Earthquakes owner said he had hired a bank for a sale.

Featured Today

Dec 5, 2024; Miami, FL, USA; FIFA president Gianni Infantino presents the FIFA Club World Cup trophy during the Club Word Cup draw at Telemundo Studios.

Revamped Club World Cup Is FIFA’s Billion-Dollar Gamble

The revamped soccer event debuts amid controversy.
Jun 10, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino stands during the anthem against the Switzerland during the first at Geodis Park
June 14, 2025

Gold Cup Is Complicated for USMNT—but U.S. Soccer Has Its Eyes on..

Uncertain tournament success isn’t fazing forward-looking U.S. soccer.
Jan 24, 2017; Davidson, NC, USA; The Davidson Wildcats student section cheers during the first half against the Duquesne Dukes at McKillop Court at John M. Belk Arena. Davidson defeated Duquesne 74-60.
June 6, 2025

Every College Wants a Flashy Basketball GM Hire Right Now

The role is more important than ever, and the definition is ever-evolving.
August 31, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; The Goodyear blimp flies over Ohio Stadium during the first half of Saturday’s NCAA Division I football game between the Akron Zips and the Ohio State Buckeyes.
June 6, 2025

Why the Goodyear Blimp Is at Every Major Sports Event

The airship wasn’t built to cover sports. Now it’s a regular presence.

Pacers Force Game 7, Could Spark Big Ratings Boost for NBA Finals

Game 7 could boost NBA Finals ratings after a slow start this year.
June 17, 2025

Streaming Tops Linear for First Time, Sports Still Key to TV’s Resilience

Streaming hits another critical milestone in an accelerating media transition.
June 17, 2025

Stanley Cup Final Delivers Drama but Struggles for Eyeballs in U.S.

U.S. viewership fell while Canadian audiences for the event rose slightly.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Ted Leonsis unpacks basketball’s global rise, media rights, and portfolio ownership.
June 17, 2025

Zaslav Takes Pay Cut, TNT Sports Future Unclear in WBD Shake-Up

The TNT Sports parent company retools its executive pay after shareholder pushback.
Tyrese Haliburton
June 16, 2025

NBA Finals Ratings Up Again in Game 4 but Still Down Overall

More than nine million people watched Games 3 and 4.
Thunder
June 16, 2025

NBA, ABC Air Finals Lineup Intros After Fan Complaints

ABC aired player intros for the first time in 12 years Monday. 
Anthony Slater
exclusive
June 13, 2025

Top Warriors Reporter Anthony Slater Leaving The Athletic for ESPN

Anthony Slater starts at ESPN later this summer.