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Soccer
NWSL announces Ohio expansion team
TL;DR
The NWSL is expanding to Ohio with Columbus becoming its 18th franchise. The announcement was made by League Commissioner Jessica Berman on Tuesday afternoon.
Key points
- NWSL is expanding to Ohio
- Columbus will be the 18th franchise
- Announcement made by Commissioner Jessica Berman
Mentioned in this story
NWSLOhioJessica Berman
Columbus
The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is coming to Ohio.
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Columbus will become the 18th franchise in the NWSL, our news partners at WBNS in Columbus reported.
League Commissioner Jessica Berman made it official with an announcement on Tuesday afternoon.
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“There was no question that for team 18, this was the right ownership and the right time to come to Columbus,” Berman said.
Berman added that Columbus delivered on three factors the league weighs with every expansion team: ownership quality, infrastructure, and the market itself.
As WBNS reported, the Haslam Sports Group will own the franchise, alongside partners Dr. Pete and Chris Edwards and Nationwide Insurance.
The Haslam Sports Group already owns the men’s professional soccer team in Columbus, the Crew. Additionally, the group owns the Cleveland Browns and owns a stake in the Milwaukee Bucks.
The new club is about two years away from taking the pitch in Columbus.
Q&A
When will the NWSL Ohio expansion team start playing?
The specific start date for the NWSL Ohio expansion team has not been announced yet.
Who is the commissioner of the NWSL that announced the Ohio expansion?
The commissioner of the NWSL who announced the Ohio expansion is Jessica Berman.
How many franchises will the NWSL have after the Ohio expansion?
After the Ohio expansion, the NWSL will have a total of 18 franchises.
