A+E Networks has become an equity investor in the North American National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in a deal that will allow the media company’s Lifetime channel to show coverage of the competition.
Lifetime will become a sponsor and broadcast partner of the league for three years, from 2017 to 2019.
Lifetime, a general entertainment channel focused on women, will broadcast the NWSL ‘game of the week’ every Saturday at 4pm ET.
A+E Networks has joined existing team ownership groups as an investor in the NWSL.
Under the deal, a new joint venture, NWSL Media, will be established. NWSL Media will serve as the media and commercial division of the league, brokering rights deals worldwide.
NWSL Media will also manage all digital assets for the NWSL including a redesigned NWSLSoccer.com website, a new mobile application and the league’s social media platforms.
NWSL Media will oversee the live streaming of all matches and will produce the games in high definition whilst offering additional, exclusive and original digital content for pre-game, half-time and post-game segments. The joint venture is in talks with potential partners about streaming the games not broadcast on Lifetime.