Knowledge is power

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.

The GIST: Yesterday, AI–powered sports marketing data insights platform Relo Metrics officially added NWSL data to its Relo Census product, which the company touts as a must-have tool for marketers. By adding the soccer league’s data, brands can now see the ROI of NWSL sponsorships in real time, which will likely encourage even more investment in the league. Knowledge is power.

The details: The brand uses Relo Census to track the exposure of in-arena signage and branding across linear and digital broadcasts as well as social media posts. Based on the estimated viewership and engagement with this branding, Relo calculates a sponsor media value (SMV).

• According to the platform, prominent NWSL sponsor Ally leads the way with over $200K in SMV this season, followed by Nike at around $150K. Nationwide, CarMax, and CPKC (the sponsor of the KC Current’s famous, purpose-built stadium) round out the top five.

The why: Adding the NWSL to its metrics proves there’s a demand for knowledge about sponsorship values in the NWSL. With this, the league can accurately assess how much partnerships should be worth and price packages accordingly, while brands will see value in advertising through the league.

• This adds to the NWSL’s existing enticing offerings for sponsors: The NWSL leads women’s sports leagues in partnership growth (19% YoY) and has a record number of sponsors this season. Plus, invested brands like Ally, drove viewership up 71% after pushing networks to air NWSL games in primetime slots — which also boosted Ally’s SMV.

Zooming out: Beyond the NWSL, Relo can market this to other pro women’s leagues that want to prove their value in real time. A startup like LOVB that’s garnering extensive interest from sponsors could benefit from sharing how much brands get out of activating in women’s volleyball.

• Another ideal addition would be the PWHL, which signed a historic number of sponsors in its first season and benefits from cross-border brand interest. Relo’s insights could show Canadian brands exactly how much U.S. exposure they get when they link up with the league. Smart, eh?

Sick of hearing that the future of women’s sports is bright? We thought so. Women are and have been running up the score on and off the field. They’re not next, they’re now.

• To celebrate how far women in sports have already come, we teamed up with Bauer and Rookie Made to create a custom merch drop that meets the moment and celebrates our unmatched community. Giving a whole new meaning to the term “iced out.”

Cop the jersey or the t-shirt and show the world you were there to witness this moment in women’s sports. We’d hurry if we were you — this is a limited-edition run, so place your order while supplies last. Go ahead, wear your heart on your sleeve.

• P.S. Ten percent of all sales go to Black Girl Hockey Club, which is building on the momentum to make the game more inclusive. Score.

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