WNBA Star Caitlin Clark Joins Cincinnati Group In NWSL Expansion Bid

Basketball star Caitlin Clark has joined an ownership group looking to bring a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) expansion team to Cincinnati, ESPN reported on Thursday night.

The report said that the ownership group of Major League Soccer side FC Cincinnati is leading the bid.

The NWSL is expected to award the bid before the end of 2024, with that team beginning play in 2026 alongside another expansion side in Boston.

“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,” the NWSL Cincinnati bid team said in a statement to ESPN.

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Clark, a rookie for the Indiana Fever this season, averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and a league-best 8.4 assists this season for the side.

The 22-year-old point guard played college basketball for the Iowa Hawkeyes and is regarded as one of the greatest collegiate players of all time.

“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,” the statement added.

Finalists In Bidding Process

On Friday, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman confirmed Cincinnati, Cleveland and Denver as the three finalists in the bidding process for the league’s 16th team.

“The process is ongoing, and we’re really enthusiastic about the final three prospects that we have in the process,” Berman said in her league address ahead of the NWSL Championship game, according to The Athletic.

“Those three markets are Cincinnati, Cleveland and Denver, and we’ll have news to share in the coming weeks as we move to close with one of those three markets.”

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ESPN, the first media outlet to break the news around Clark’s involvement, said that its sources had informed that Cincinnati is considered one of the favorites because of its ownership backing and existing infrastructure.

CNBC Sport said that Cleveland is likely to be Cincinnati’s biggest competition, as the Cleveland Soccer Group has reportedly purchased 13.6 acres of state land in downtown Cleveland to build a 12,500-seat stadium that is estimated to cost around $150 million.

The NWSL Championship game will be played later on Saturday between the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit in Kansas City.