• Loading stock data...
Saturday, July 19, 2025

New Media-Rights Deal for NWSL Challenger Comes With a Caveat

  • The USL Super League is set to launch in August.
  • Peacock will broadcast games for the women’s soccer competition.
The Greenville News

With the NWSL on pace for another record year midway through this season, a potential rival pro women’s soccer league—at least some see it that way—is just six weeks away from launching.

In February, the USL Super League received the same Division I sanctioning from the U.S. Soccer Federation that the NWSL has. Last month, the upstart competition completed its next major step: a national media-rights deal with Peacock. While the pact doesn’t compare to the reach or financial impact of the NWSL’s $240 million deals, it does give the new women’s league a streaming platform with more than 30 million subscribers and the muscle of a major media company in NBCUniversal.

The rights deal is not a traditional one, though, and comes with an intriguing caveat. Front Office Sports spoke with key officials involved in its creation to break down the expanding pro women’s soccer landscape.

How Much Is It Worth?

Creating revenue will be key for the USL Super League, which is launching with eight clubs and lists eight more potential expansion markets on its website. 

While specific financial details of the Peacock deal weren’t revealed, an NBCU executive admitted it’s not a standard contract. “If you’re in the USL’s shoes, with a startup league, it’s not necessarily the easiest thing in the world to get a major media company excited about a traditional rights arrangement,” says Will McIntosh, the president of NBC Sports Next, which is a technology division of the media giant that led talks with the USL.

That’s why the two parties got creative. In addition to USL Super League streaming on Peacock—or perhaps in exchange for—there’s another element to the deal. Broadcasts from pre-professional competitions USL League Two and USL W League will appear on SportsEngine Play, an NBC-owned streaming service that until now has aired only youth sports. 

“There was this opportunity for the USL to be a big anchor partner for SportsEngine Play, as we’re building it,” McIntosh explains. “At the same time, they had a need for a major media partner and streaming platform like Peacock for their professional endeavors.”

So, is Peacock paying for the USL rights? Yes and no. “The USL will end up benefiting tremendously economically from this,” says McIntosh. “It won’t necessarily look like a typical rights arrangement because the value is coming from a variety of places.” 

There were multiple parties interested in acquiring the USL Super League rights, according to Court Jeske, the USL’s chief commercial officer. The top two USL men’s leagues have broadcast deals with ESPN and CBS. In addition to the Peacock distribution, Jeske says that Super League clubs “will have the ability to have select matches highlighted with local linear partners.”

The NWSL Question

“​​We don’t really look at it compared to NWSL,” Jeske says of the USL’s long-term strategy for its new women’s league. But the comparisons are unavoidable. 

When the USL Super League launches in mid-August, it will run alongside the NWSL for about two and a half months before the latter’s championship game in early November. Operating on the traditional fall-to-spring international soccer calendar, the upstart league will have its own spot over the winter, before the NWSL restarts in March. 

“It’s undoubtable that they’re gonna be viewed as competitors over time,” McIntosh says. But both he and Jeske are bullish on the belief that there’s enough talent in the U.S. to support two women’s leagues, and until now not enough playing opportunities. Soon, we’ll see if that hypothesis is true.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Netflix Beats Projections Again—and Plots Big Holiday Sports Slate

The streaming giant again beats analyst projections in every respect.

Cleveland’s WNBA Team Follows Golden State’s Proven Blueprint

The franchise will play its first WNBA season in 2028.

ESPN Bidding Against NBC, Apple for MLB Rights Package

The league continues to negotiate with multiple media-rights bidders.
Jul 15, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; National League designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a home run in the swing off of after the 2025 MLB All Star Game ended in a tie at Truist Park.

MLB All-Star Game Viewership Dips Despite Historic Swing-Off

Game viewership falls 3% despite late dramatics in the unique tiebreaker.

Featured Today

Ryan Field Construction
exclusive

First Look Inside Northwestern’s $862 Million New Ryan Field

Five big things FOS learned on our exclusive stadium tour.
Jul 21, 2024; Ayrshire, SCT; Xander Schauffele celebrates with Claret Jug after winning the Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Troon.
July 17, 2025

The Boozy History and Traditions of The Open’s Claret Jug

The Open awards the world’s most famous wine decanter.
2025 PDC World Darts Championship Final - Luke Littler vs Michael Van Gerwen
July 16, 2025

A Teen Darts Prodigy Is Becoming Bigger Than the Game Itself

Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler is cashing in on his devastatingly accurate shot.
May 31, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Sydney McLaughin-Levrone (USA) reacts before the women's 100m hurdles during the Grand Slam Track Philadelphia at Franklin Field
exclusive
July 13, 2025

Track’s New Money Is Running Into Old Problems

The sport’s big-money era has hit some speed bumps in 2025.

MLB Home Run Derby Draws 5.7M Viewers on ESPN, Up 5%

ESPN reverses the trend from last year and registers audience growth.
Brittney Griner and Caitlin Clark
exclusive
July 15, 2025

‘Good Morning America’ Will Air From WNBA All-Star in First

The All-Star Game’s relevance has exploded with the league in recent years.
July 15, 2025

WNBA Hits Fourth-Highest ABC Viewership With Clark-Bueckers Duel

Clark missed the first Fever vs. Wings game with an injury.
Sponsored

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

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
NBC Sports
exclusive
July 14, 2025

NBC Hiring Ex-Hawks Exec Grant Liffmann As NBA Front Office Insider

Liffmann spent the last three years with Atlanta after covering the Warriors.
F1
July 11, 2025

F1 ‘Poised’ to Choose Apple Money Over ESPN Reach

Formula One looks to be changing lanes.
Jul 10, 2025; Wimbledon, United Kingdom; Iga Swiatek of Poland at her on court interview after winning her match against Belinda Bencic of Switzerland on day 11 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
July 10, 2025

Wimbledon Set to Deliver Strong Finals Matchup for ESPN

Novak Djokovic is still in the hunt for his 25th Grand Slam.
Paige Bueckers
exclusive
July 8, 2025

Women’s March Madness Expansion Wouldn’t Yield More ESPN Money

ESPN is not required to pay extra if women’s March Madness expands.