Women’s soccer and publisher Footballco turn to creators to score with brands

The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and publisher Footballco are increasing their engagement with the creators working on soccer’s sidelines.

The approach has attracted advertisers, including Google Pixel, to women’s soccer in the U.S. amid a landmark season for the sport. This year marked the first of a $240 million media rights deal struck between the NWSL and four companies (Amazon, CBS, ESPN and Scripps), as well as a new collective bargaining agreement that has abolished the player draft and moved the NWSL closer to the international soccer world.

Sponsors and brands are in hot pursuit, thanks in part to the work of the league’s marketing team, led by former NFL brand chief Julie Haddon. When she joined the NWSL to build up its marketing team two years ago, Haddon had only an office cactus for company. “The joke around the office was that it was my first employee,” she recalled.

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