Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark is part of an NWSL expansion team bid that could cost around $100million, with hopes of bringing a women’s soccer side to Cincinnati.
Caitlin Clark is also making waves in the soccer world (Image: Getty Images)
Caitlin Clark is part of the ownership group pushing to introduce a new NWSL expansion team to Cincinnati, a venture that might see investments near the $100 million mark.
In a statement shared by ESPN, FC Cincinnati expressed their excitement about the news: “The NWSL Cincinnati bid team is thrilled that Caitlin Clark has joined our ownership group in pursuit of bringing a women’s professional soccer team to our city.”
It added: “Her passion for the sport, commitment to elevating women’s sports in and around the Greater Cincinnati region, and influence as an athlete and role model for women and girls around the world, make her a vital part of our compelling bid to become the 16th team in the NWSL.”
Clark has made a significant splash in the WNBA during her first year with Indiana Fever. The 22-year-old basketball sensation was drafted first overall at the 2024 WNBA draft and swiftly lived up to the hype, reports the Mirror US.
She not only received the Rookie of the Year honours but also set records for most assists in a season and a game, shattered the rookie scoring record, and became the first rookie to secure a triple-double. All of her achievements came alongside helping the Fever forge their path to the playoffs, although their campaign ended following a defeat by Connecticut Sun.
Clark’s influence on the league, known as ‘the Caitlin Clark effect,’ has significantly boosted its popularity. This star player could now be sprinkling her magic on another sport, with Cincinnati being one of the few cities shortlisted for the new NWSL expansion team.
Caitlin Clark (Image: AP)
If successful, Cincinnati may become the 16th team in the NWSL, but this does not come cheap. ESPN’s sources suggest that the cost “could approach $100 million” – nearly twice the fee of $53 million paid by BOS Nation FC and Bay FC to join the league as the 14th and 15th teams in 2023, with Bay having debuted this season and BOS Nation set to start in 2026.
FC Cincinnati, only introduced to professional sports when it was announced in 2015, began competing in the MLS on March 2, 2019. The team’s best showing came in 2024, clinching third place in the Eastern Conference and making it to the first round of the postseason.
Meanwhile, the NWSL, launched in 2012 with eight inaugural teams, is poised to double in size within just over a decade upon welcoming its 16th franchise. The Portland Thorns FC have reigned supreme over the years, securing three championship titles thus far.
The finale for the 2024 NWSL season is set for Saturday, November 23, as Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit vie for the coveted championship at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
