Gainbridge announces USL Super League title partnership as U.S. women’s soccer pyramid expands

The GIST: Digital insurance company Gainbridge made a major play by teaming up with the United Soccer League (USL) yesterday. The USL’s Super League is now called the Gainbridge Super League, the first-ever title partnership for a U.S. pro soccer league. The partnership illustrates how brands are starting to recognize opportunities at all levels of the flourishing U.S. soccer pyramid. Stacked.

The details: The multiyear agreement makes Gainbridge an official sponsor and the exclusive financial services partner for the Gainbridge Super League. With the investment, Gainbridge parent company Group 1001 will have allocated over 40% of its sponsorship dollars to women’s sports.

• When speaking at the Deep Blue Summit yesterday, Gainbridge CEO Dan Towriss said the company wants “Gainbridge to be synonymous with opportunity,” a marketing connection that may be especially powerful for women’s sports fans hoping to see equity in sponsorship. Preach.

The market: The NWSL sat alone at the top of the U.S. soccer pyramid until 2024, when the USL launched the Super League. Both leagues have Division 1 status but are not direct competitors, as the USL has tried to differentiate with its fall to summer calendar.

• In its first season, average attendance was 2.3K and the league’s eight teams saw mixed success, with North Carolina, Dallas, and Tampa Bay fielding better numbers than cities like Brooklyn and Lexington, Kentucky. The Super League also signed sponsorships with brands like NBC and Capelli Sport.

The growth: The USL has proven there’s room for more women’s soccer in the U.S., especially at lower tiers. Last week, the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) announced a 2026 Division II pro league, the first U.S. second-tier women’s pro soccer league.

• This allows smaller markets a chance at a club: Cleveland wasn’t able to secure an NWSL bid, but is now getting a WPSL team for $1M — much more affordable than the NWSL’s recent expansion fees.

Zooming out: Fans need soccer at every level, and so do brands. New additions to the soccer pyramid gives companies like Gainbridge opportunities to make a big splash in a league that’s still going to get major exposure, especially with its NBC partnership and planned expansion.

• In minor league baseball, brands benefit from renowned fan loyalty at smaller venues thanks to the distinct sense of community. This means brands can reap the rewards of high engagement at a lower price point: If WPSL and presumably Super League entry is a fraction of the NWSL’s pricing, its sponsorships likely are too. Next batter up.