WSJ is reporting that Boston is set to pay $50 million to join the league. The important note is that there is no official timetable for when they would join, whereas Utah and the Bay Area have a 2024 start date. My guess is the NWSL wants a little more certainty about what the facilities will be.
All in all, I'm really excited to have the NWSL back in Boston if this is true and everything works out accordingly!
They have owners with money. Pretty sure someone that can afford a 50 million fee to have a team can figure it out
The people who can pay a $50M fee usually aren’t in the business of bearing millions in operating losses unless there are huge growth opportunities.
Weird cause that’s how every sports team and almost all start ups are run. I disagree with you.
Almost every single NFL, MLB and NBA team is profitable AND there is huge growth in franchise values. Not sure what you’re talking about
I should’ve been more clear in that sports teams are used to off set taxes and are normally reported as losses on their wealthy owners income taxes.
I’d say again, someone who can afford a $50 million price tag for a team, can afford to take a hit if needed. They wouldn’t do it if they didn’t think they could make the financials work. I’d assume neither one of us is a millionaire.
Edit: looking at your post history you might actually be a millionaire. Regardless, they should be able to handle the costs.
Most were established decades ago and while there have been expansions the huge growth has really only been the last two decades or so with the growth of media packages. I think the smallest market team makes more from the NFL tv deals than ticket sales now but there's a reason plenty of teams changed hands for a pittance ages ago. It wasn't the winning proposition it is today.
Yeah, I guess I didn’t even realize (or remwmber) that the NWSL even left Boston so I have this question as well. There’s very little mechanism for smaller sports leagues to starve out a niche and even men’s leagues that aren’t the big four have hardly grown. Women’s leagues have an extra challenge and the big leagues aren’t exactly willing to share the market. (I could touch on the whole “NFL only invests in MLS and to keep it small” but that’s a deep wormhole)
Exactly. I’m a big fan of College Hockey and that has a rich 100+ year history in the area. Outside the Beanpot and maybe Hockey East finals it barely has any coverage though. I don’t see how this will any better
That will always have core fans because it’s an excuse for college students to drink and hang out. And it leverages the already large hockey fanbase here since you get to see a lot of good games / prospects. The fact that it’s actually exciting is just a bonus… which women’s softball definitely isn’t (baseball has had declining viewership relative to other sports because of its lethargic pace of play)
Edit: it’s soccer, not softball lmao
Not to be a bigger dick but what even is NWSL
Women’s equivalent to MLS. The fact that we all collectively know a bunch of the players from the US women’s national team but don’t even know the name of their home teams/league tells you just how many people are interested in watching women’s soccer outside of the Women’s World Cup.
Ostensibly either someone has a lot of money or someone has a business plan that has a path to sustainability.
I wonder if the Revolution are in the black.
I mean having a lot of money does not make it sustainable. MLS has struggled for years and only more recently has had success financially. With the shifting sports landscape and move towards streaming etc I have serious doubts this can be financially sustainable even if they have a low burn rate
If North Carolina and Portland can have a successful NWSL franchise, Boston/New England should at least have a shot. The league, as well as US soccer fandom, is in a different place now than when Breakers left. Still not easy, though.
VERY excited! I’ll be first in line for season tickets! Wonder where they’ll play! Probably BU?
White stadium was floated a few weeks back
Not a bad option. Would need some renovations.
Cannot wait!! I moved here right after the Breakers folded and have been buying tickets to the occasional Gotham game instead.
NWSL = National Women's Soccer League
Boston had a team in the league (Boston Breakers) for a few years before the team folded in 2017.
Fun!
drtywater t1_j6agbsi wrote
Not to be a dick but how will they be financially sustainable?