“GOALASOOOOO!!” Announcers scream as players bury electric goals in the back of the net. Dedicated crowds let out deafening cheers and players celebrate in grass slides and rapid high fives. But outside of that sphere, people at home are oblivious to the league they play in and the outstanding feats these athletes attain.

The league that houses a myriad of eye-catching players, that sports fans have yet to value, is the NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League). Never heard of it? Unfortunately, this league lingers under the radar to most sports fanatics.

The top women’s players from the US Women’s National Team wear the NWSL shield for club season, in between their international play. This time is valuable as they can hone in on their skills that will prepare for the biggest stages like the FIFA World Cup and Olympics. Well known players like Alex Morgan, Julie Ertz, and Rose Lavelle are a part of this list, and if you follow any of the national team’s play, you would know these are some of the elite players for our country. In addition to top national team players, the league’s draft also introduces the top percentage of NCAA I college players into the league. This blend of talent brews some impressive teams that battle it out in this league. The pressing question is if the league can house such talent, why is it that few people have actually heard of this league or even flipped the TV on to a game?

This is simply just because people have never been exposed to this platform. The league has fans from all over the country, but having a club in the vicinity of your state is a way the NWSL gets exposure. The league has actually expanded in the past year, adding new teams to the west coast in sunny California. The women’s league has the teams of Angle City FC, Chicago Red Stars, Houston Dash, Kansas City Current, NJ/NY Gotham FC, North Carolina Courage, OL Reign, Orlando Pride, Portland Thorns FC, Racing Louisville FC, San Diego Wave FC, and Washington Spirit that spread over the nation. Dedicated fans from here pile in the stands and make sure these women have support.

One of my biggest critiques on why this league isn’t as famed as it could be with their talent, is the unavailability to watch games if you don’t live in the area. Games are mainly broadcasted on the Paramount + app and on Twitch. Compared to other leagues, this isn’t the usual way to view sports. The lack of access on cable means people won’t give any extra effort in order to view these games. I believe this robs the players of exposure and potential TV sponsorships that other athlete stars get the privilege to exercise. Some games are broadcasted on CBS Sports Network if they do make TV, but they are minimal and only for select games. 

The league is played from April to October, which conventionally is in the off season of many other pro sports’ offseasons. The means that sports fans can still look further into these games to fulfill their crave for sporting matches. The score of this soccer league is an entertaining one, that houses some of the best stars for the women’s game. Sport fans, soccer fans, or anyone looking to try to get into supporting a new league should follow the teams and their broadcasting channels in the efforts or promoting them. 

Though a bit difficult to be made in the mainstream sports talks, as seen in their game watching locations, genuine sports games need to find ways to view these games and make sure it doesn’t stay buried in the array of sports that already exist in the spotlight of most fans. Check out https://www.nwslsoccer.com/schedule to gear up for next season and get ready for soccer stars to battle it out on the pitch, in an effort to take down the reigning champions: the Washington Spirit.