Chelsea’s Alyssa Thompson signing highlights benefits, drawbacks for soccer sponsors amid athlete moves

The GIST: Alyssa Thompson is the latest NWSL star headed to Chelsea on a five-year deal that is commanding a $1.3M transfer fee. This follows the Blues’ play for Naomi Girma — when Chelsea paid a record $1.1M fee in January — and a general trend of USWNT standouts being courted across the pond.

• The NWSL isn’t the only game in town — and as international leagues continue to professionalize and compete for NWSL talent, marketers should consider how this affects athlete deals. In this case, Alyssa has been co-marketed with her sister and former Angel City FC teammate Gisele as a package deal for brands. Missed ya.

The concern: With the potential for athlete transfers, there’s a risk even among U.S. markets when signing athlete deals, but the gamble’s a bit bigger in a global game like soccer. Well-developed European soccer leagues are stiff competition for top talent — something NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman acknowledged as motivation for the league’s latest CBA.

• For example, when Girma played for the San Diego Wave, she partnered with Austin-based Siete Foods for the Paris 2024 Olympics and joined community-based events in San Diego. For domestic brands, a move abroad can dilute their message — consider how Wave sponsor Kaiser Permanente chose Girma as a brand ambassador.

The opportunity: There’s an opening for global brands when soccer players go international. Girma is sponsored by Chelsea outfitter Nike, Amazon Kindle, and Coca-Cola, which means further amplification for their messaging in markets abroad. Plus, European brands are more motivated to spotlight Girma, such as her May 2025 British Vogue feature and her recent deal with Volkswagen.

Zooming out: While athlete moves present challenges for sponsors, marketers can adapt and even take advantage of the change in market through new media. Girma was interviewed by Togethxr’s Alex Morgan in a TJ Maxx–sponsored show, showing that the Chelsea star still resonates with American audiences while also courting a UK one.

• Women’s sports fans tend to follow athletes over teams, which is why individual athlete branding may be more effective for them. While all of Thompson’s deals may not translate, the move could expose brands like NYX and BodyArmor to a whole new audience — one especially receptive to brand messaging. Brilliant, innit?