NWSL inked non-exclusive broadcast deals with DAZN and Tigo for global markets

The GIST: Grab your passport — the NWSL is going global. In the buildup to a record-setting opening weekend, the league inked international, non-exclusive broadcast deals with DAZN and Tigo and launched a brand new NWSL streaming service for a handful of global markets.

The details: DAZN will air matches in Brazil, Japan and many western European markets, including the U.K. and Germany, while Tigo will carry games in most of Central America. The remaining locations without deals can watch matches on the NWSL’s site, powered by Endeavor Streaming.

• The league’s new streaming partner brings plenty of experience — Endeavor previously operated WWE Network in the U.S. and still operates UFC Fight Pass.

The context: The NWSL’s international broadcast deal with Twitch expired in 2023, allowing the league to unbundle its global offerings. It scored one of its first post-Twitch deals earlier this month when Canadian broadcaster TSN picked up 2023 English-language rights. Not bad, eh?

• Plus, Endeavor Streaming isn’t just helping the NWSL with its global efforts. Two company execs, Karen Brodkin and Hillary Mandel, are also consulting with the league as it searches for a new domestic broadcast deal.

The trend: International rights to the top women’s soccer leagues are slowly but surely becoming a coveted item for broadcasters. Take England’s Women’s Super League as an example — after securing its first U.S. broadcast agreement with NBC Sports in 2020, it inked a two-year deal with CBS Sports that began last year.

Zooming out: Expanding from just one international broadcast deal provides the NWSL with new revenue streams and demonstrates the league’s growing popularity as interest in women’s soccer surges globally. Combined with last year’s domestic wins, it’s clear business is booming for the NWSL. It’s international love.