· Peacock to stream every regular season and playoff match as the “Official Home of the USL Super League”
· NBC Sports Next’s SportsEngine Play is named streaming home for USL League Two, USL W League, and USL Youth
· As an official USL technology partner, SportsEngine will provide its club registration and league management technology broadly to USL pre-professional properties
Tampa, Fla., and New York, NY (June 13, 2024) – The USL Super League, a new Division One professional women’s soccer league beginning play in the U.S. this summer, and Peacock announced today that the streaming service will become the “Official Home of the USL Super League,” beginning in the league’s inaugural season. The multi-year agreement is the centerpiece of an expanded partnership with NBCUniversal that will see additional USL leagues and properties leverage NBC Sports Next’s SportsEngine Play streaming service and innovative digital products.
Starting with the USL Super League’s weekend August 17-18, every regular season and playoff match – 115 matches, combined – will be available to stream on Peacock for fans in the United States.
Since 2020, Peacock has become a vital destination for soccer fans in the United States with its critically acclaimed coverage of the Premier League, Telemundo’s record-breaking Spanish-language coverage of the FIFA World Cup and soccer at the Olympic Games. The USL Super League is the newest addition to Peacock’s women’s sports offering, which includes the Olympics, FIFA Women’s World Cup, Big Ten basketball, championship golf, and more.
“We are thrilled to partner with NBCUniversal and Peacock to provide a world-class viewing experience for USL Super League fans across the country,” said Amanda Vandervort, USL Super League President. “NBC Sports and Peacock have raised the bar for soccer coverage in the United States, and their commitment to the USL Super League is a testament to what we are building. It affirms the Super League’s integral role in elevating women’s soccer and bringing more opportunities for players, coaches, and fans in the women’s game. Our matches will be easily accessible for fans in one place, and we look forward to working with Peacock to build the Super League into a global leader both on and off the field, while also partnering with NBC Sports Next’s SportsEngine Play to reach millions of young athletes and their families.”
The USL Super League is the newest professional women’s soccer league in the United States, sanctioned by U.S. Soccer to compete at the Division One level. The inaugural season features eight clubs: Brooklyn FC, Carolina Ascent FC, Dallas Trinity FC, DC Power FC, Fort Lauderdale United FC, Lexington SC, Spokane Zephyr FC, and Tampa Bay Sun FC. The Fall Schedule was recently released, featuring 14 matches per club between August and December, before the league will pause for a winter break.
The USL Super League media rights agreement is part of a newly expanded partnership between the United Soccer League and NBCUniversal. The partnership was established in 2021, when the USL engaged NBC Sports Next to launch a new digital network for the league and clubs.
Key elements of the expanded partnership, beyond the USL Super League-Peacock agreement, include:
· SportsEngine Play, NBC Sports Next’s first-ever streaming service dedicated to youth and amateur sports, is now the official home of the USL League Two and USL W League, the nation’s premier pre-professional leagues for men and women, respectively.
· As an “official technology partner” of the USL, all USL Academy and USL Youth clubs have the opportunity to implement SportsEngine, the industry’s leading team and tournament technology for youth sports, into their operations. USL Youth includes nearly 600 teams and more than 9,000 players.
· USL clubs and organizations also can take advantage of ClubBuy, the group-purchasing program managed by NBC Sports Next that can save users up to 20 percent off products and services they purchase to run their operations, including equipment, office supplies, wireless services, food, and much more.
“We’re extremely proud to be expanding our relationship with the USL, which focuses not only on reaching their passionate and supportive fans but also creating more access to great soccer competition for new audiences who love to play and watch the game, especially young people and their families,” said Will McIntosh, President, NBC Sports Next. “The USL will be a great complement to an already robust live sports offering on Peacock and SportsEngine Play, not to mention the training and development content included as part of a SportsEngine Play subscription.”
Combined, NBCUniversal platforms will stream more than 1,000 matches live or on-demand each year across the USL Super League, USL League Two, and USL W League.
Fans can view USL Super League matches and Peacock’s expansive live sports offering at www.peacocktv.com/sports. USL League Two and USL W League matches, as well as learn more about SportsEngine Play subscription options at www.SportsEnginePlay.com.
About NBC Sports Next
NBC Sports Next is a subdivision of NBC Sports and home to all NBCUniversal digital applications in sports and technology within Golf and Youth & Recreational Sports. Known for its sports technology product innovation, NBC Sports Next equips more than 30 million players, coaches, athletes, sports administrators and fans in 40 countries with more than 25 sports solution products, including SportsEngine, an industry leader in youth sports club, league and team management technology and youth sports editorial content; SportsEngine Play, a first-of-its-kind subscription streaming service for capturing and viewing live and on-demand video of youth and amateur sporting events, and offering one of the industry’s most comprehensive collection of player development and training content; GolfNow, the leading online tee time marketplace and provider of golf course operations technology and services; and GolfPass, the ultimate golf membership that connects golfers to exclusive content, tee time credits, coaching, tips and other benefits. NBC Sports Next is fueled by its mission to innovate, create larger-than-life events and connect with sports fans through technology to provide the ultimate in immersive experiences.
About Peacock
Peacock is NBCUniversal’s streaming service providing audiences a singular, unmatched content destination. As one of the most complete streaming products on the market, Peacock offers exclusive breakout original series; more than 8,000 hours of live sports and entertainment programming; hit movies right after theaters from Universal Pictures, Focus Features, DreamWorks Animation and Illumination; next-day access to all new shows from NBC and Bravo; fan-favorite library content; daily live news; as well as live channels from brands including Hallmark and WWE. Built on the foundation of NBCUniversal with a spirit that is all Peacock, the platform delivers for its audiences with innovative technology, creative partnerships, and entertainment that is truly entertaining.
About the USL Super League
The USL Super League is a Division One professional women’s soccer league kicking off in August 2024. The USL Super League’s vision is to be a global leader in women’s soccer on and off the field while providing more opportunities for more women in more communities. The inaugural clubs are Brooklyn FC, Carolina Ascent FC, Dallas Trinity FC, DC Power FC, Fort Lauderdale United FC, Lexington SC, Spokane Zephyr FC and Tampa Bay Sun FC.
The USL Super League sits at the top the USL’s distinct youth-to-pro women’s pathway. The complete pathway includes the USL W League, the leading pre-professional women’s soccer league in the United States; the USL Academy, an advanced talent-development platform connected to professional and pre-professional USL clubs; and USL Youth, a premier national youth competition.
About the United Soccer League
Impacting more than 200 communities across the United States, the United Soccer League (USL) is the largest professional soccer organization in North America. The USL is the first and only soccer organization in the United States to build a youth-to-professional pathway for both women and men within one ecosystem. The ecosystem includes:
· USL Super League: A new Division One women’s league kicking off in August 2024
· USL Championship: The top men’s professional league in the USL ecosystem with 24 clubs in 2024
· USL League One: A fast-growing elite professional league with clubs in emerging mid-size and small markets
· USL League Two: The nation’s premier men’s pre-professional league with 128 teams
· USL W League: A national elite women’s pre-professional league with 80 teams
· USL Academy and USL Youth: Elite talent development platforms
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Lisa Padan
USL Super League
321.543.7864
Dan Higgins
NBC Sports Next
407-496-8107