The NWSL has taken major strides in recent years, but still considers club infrastructure improvements to be a major priority.
That stance is from league commissioner Jessica Berman, who discussed the topic while speaking to reporters on Friday, one day ahead of the 2023 Challenge Cup final.
Asked about the importance of NWSL clubs reducing the potential conflicts that arise when sharing a stadium or training facility with another organization, Berman called infrastructure “probably the hardest problem to solve long-term, and one of the most important problems for us to solve as soon as possible.”
Berman said that the NWSL would be taking an aggressive stance to tackle that challenge, particularly in moments when clubs change hands.
“Every time we have an opportunity to right-size the investment in infrastructure in a market — which would typically happen when a team is being sold, or in an expansion context — we will do everything in our power to create the right incentives to be able to have an opportunity for the ownership group to invest in infrastructure,” said Berman.
NWSL’s pursuit of infrastructure a practical concern
At the moment, no NWSL team plays in its own dedicated stadium, while only the Kansas City Current train at a purpose-built facility.
The Houston Dash, Orlando Pride, and Portland Thorns play at venues controlled by club ownership, but in all three cases must jockey for time alongside MLS clubs. Racing Louisville and the North Carolina Courage are in a similar boat, with the men’s club in those cases playing in the USL Championship or USL League One.
The Current, along with Angel City FC, NJ/NY Gotham FC, and the Washington Spirit, rent out an MLS club’s home venue, a number that will climb by two in 2024 as Bay FC and the Utah Royals join the league. Three more (the Chicago Red Stars, OL Reign, and San Diego Wave) are tenants in stadiums controlled by a municipality, an NFL team, and a university, respectively.
That leaves many practical difficulties. Some clubs train well outside the city they play in, creating a literal distance that can be difficult to bridge in terms of coverage and connection. MLS clubs understandably want to play at the best possible times in their home stadiums, which has contributed to some scheduling headaches over the years.
Berman pointed out that while the league does have more leverage when a sale comes to pass, the NWSL will also encourage existing owners to put shovels in the ground whenever they can.
“You’re seeing that happen even without the forcing function of a team being sold,” explained Berman. “[Spirit owner] Michele Kang, that’s a great example. I have no doubt she will find a way to get a training facility — and potentially even a stadium built — so that she can optimize her place in the D.C. metro market… In the context of the Bay Area, [Bay FC’s ownership] have desires to build their own stadium and are actually contractually committed to building a new training facility.”
Bay FC pledged a total of $125 million, of which $72 million is investment in the club itself, including a training facility. Washington is actively pursuing a facility that would include an innovation lab for women’s sports, while on Friday Utah television station KSL reported that Royals ownership will break ground on a training facility in October.
Developments like those are music to Berman’s ears, as the commissioner reiterated that the league wants to guide teams in that direction whenever possible.
“In every circumstance that we can, when we have an opportunity to intercede in the context of a change in control of an incumbent team, we will continue to make that a priority and create the incentives so that the investment is going into long-term infrastructure.”
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