Big Washington Spirit, Cvs Deal Is Proof Women's Sports Isn't Just 'having A Moment'

Women's sports may be "having a moment," but a new three-year sponsorship deal between the NWSL's Washington Spirit and CVS Health is one more sign it's a sea change rather than a fleeting trend.

The expanded partnership announced Friday goes beyond the customary soccer jersey sponsorship, though that aspect of what both parties call a "multimillion-dollar investment in the club and women's sports" is surely critical. The partnership — one the Spirit say is among the most valuable sponsorships in the NWSL — extends to community programming focused on women's health, player panels and more.

EXCLUSIVE:Washington Spirit, CVS Health extend partnership with major multiyear deal

The objective is to carry on the rapid growth seen in women's sports, and within the NWSL in particular. That emphasis is especially noticeable at a rapidly evolving organization in Washington. What was essentially a small business in 2019, fielding a team with a 5,000-capacity suburban stadium, has become a standard-bearer in the space.

Spirit majority owner Michele Kang — who initially bought a stake in the club in 2020 before taking over in 2022 — knows times have changed. This sponsorship contrasts with what she encountered just over four years ago when she joined the club, she told USA TODAY during an exclusive, wide-ranging interview Thursday.

"I think initially at that time, you approach some brands, they're like, 'What? Women's sports? Women's soccer? I didn't even know there was a professional league,'" Kang said, chuckling at the thought of how far Washington has come. "So, the overall awareness was not that high.

"From that point to now, I mean, the numbers prove themselves: the viewership, the attendance ... When I first took over, average attendance was, what, a couple thousand? Now we're talking about approaching 15,000 (people), sellout crowds last year."

Spirit communications staff said the club's 2025 season ticket membership sales are "close to 7,000," with Washington's first home game of the season coming up on Saturday. The Spirit play the Kansas City Current at 7:30 p.m. ET.

"It's not just us either, right? If you look at NWSL across at the league level, the viewership basically doubled, and attendance is (up) more than 50% on average," Kang said. "So, it's proven. I don't have to convince people anymore, because the proof is in the numbers and the excitement."

NWSL among major indicators of growth in women's sports

Those numbers track with a study Deloitte published earlier this week. Women's sports generated $1.88 billion in revenue in 2024, according to the study, exceeding the accounting firm's 2023 expectations by roughly $600 million. Their forecasts for 2025 say that number will grow to $2.35 billion.

That growth is reflected in NWSL club valuations. In July, Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger and his wife, Willow Bay, the dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, purchased a controlling stake in Angel City FC at a women's sports record valuation of $250 million.

On the growing buzz around the Spirit, Kang specifically cited the last two games at the club's 20,000-seat home, Audi Field, when the team survived playoff epics against Bay FC and NJ/NY Gotham FC. CVS Health's Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs, Melissa Schulman, was in attendance as a fan, and brought up those very same games in a separate interview with USA TODAY as a proof of concept.

"The energy in that stadium was not like anything I've seen before with the Spirit," Schulman said. "To me, in some ways it was kind of like an arrival moment: This is what this is going to be. This is what this should be, and this is an amazing thing to be a part of."

CVS Health's partnership with the Spirit dates back to 2020, a rare bit of continuity in a league that has undergone massive change on and off the field. There was a point in time where that could have changed, as Kang eventually won out in a battle over Washington's future with former owners Steve Baldwin and Bill Lynch.

Per Kang, it was a moment where some brands adopted a wait-and-see approach, while others came forward with proposals that might have set a lower bar for future deals.

"We didn't have any front-of-jersey sponsor," Kang said. "We were in a hurry. There were some legacy partners who were willing to step up and give us the funding, but it was not nearly what I thought was the true value of the Spirit. But more importantly, I really wanted to look for a really classic, traditional American brand. I wanted somebody to help legitimize what we're trying to do here."

Kang added that her goal then, and now, was for the Spirit to forge "a long-term relationship, not just one year or two, because — especially given that we're looking for sort of reputable, classic, top American brand — we wanted to really nurture that relationship and build it to be a mutually successful effort."

"Our commitment was, mutually, a long-term relationship, not just, 'Oh, women's sports right now are hot. Let's just see what it takes, what it's like,' type of thing," Kang said.

But Kang wasn't the reason CVS Health was drawn to the Spirit, Schulman said.

"To be perfectly honest, it was the players who first sold me on this, because there were these bright, talented young women who were so driven and so committed," Schulman said.

Then, it was players like U.S. women's national team midfielder Andi Sullivan and goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury. Today, the players are still a big factor with USWNT star Trinity Rodman and reigning NWSL Rookie of the Year Croix Bethune, among other big names.

Kang investment a pivotal moment in women's sports

The relationship between club and sponsor has grown beyond the on-field product as Washington has emerged as a leader in the NWSL and women's sports as a whole. Having the No. 6 company on the Fortune 500 list — a ranking of the largest U.S. companies by revenue — is no small feat and lends credibility to the Spirit's movement, Schulman said. CVS Health sits at the top with giants like Walmart, Amazon and Apple.

"I think it's the players, it's the team, but it's Michele's magic and her vision and her commitment," Schulman said. "This is a businesswoman who came in, looked at this and said 'These players aren't being treated right. This isn't the right way to run a club. I've got a better idea.' She went through hell to get that ownership ..."

That may be an understatement. Kang's acquisition of a majority stake came months after back-to-back scandals that emerged in a watershed 2021 NWSL season. With head coach Richie Burke and CEO Larry Best — both hand-picked by Baldwin — fired following bombshellWashington Post reports, Kang moved to acquire their stakes, leading to a months-long battle for control. Spirit players unanimously backed Kang, who eventually bought Baldwin and founding owner Bill Lynch out at a reported valuation of $35 million.

Since then, much has been made of Kang being a unique figure in the sporting world, especially after investments in U.S. Soccer's women's program and Kynisca, a global, multi-club ownership model that includes the Spirit, French powerhouse Olympique Lyonnais, and English side London City Lionesses. Kang, who made her money as a health technology magnate, demurred on that front, insisting the rest of the NWSL's owners share her ambitions for their clubs and the league.

That said, Kang was candid that relative to other sports, the NWSL still has a long way to go and deals like this one are still just foundational building blocks for future sustainability.

"Our eyes and standards are high, and I think we're all getting there," Kang said. "That's why I think the league is moving forward, because it's not just one owner, it's multiple teams, just about all teams going down the same path.

"It's an ongoing effort, and I think that we still have a long way to go. We're kind of getting there, but the size and the volume of the relationship, ... will hopefully lead to the even more positive media deals coming down the pike."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang breaks down new CVS Health deal