Dee and Jimmy Haslam paid $205 million for an NWSL expansion franchise in Columbus, the league announced Wednesday. The figure is the highest expansion fee in women's professional sports history and 73% above the $118 million the Bay FC ownership group paid for San Francisco entry rights eighteen months ago.
The Haslams already own the Columbus Crew, the MLS side they purchased for $230 million in 2018 after blocking the team's attempted relocation to Austin. The NWSL club will share Lower.com Field, the $314 million downtown stadium that opened in 2021. Jimmy Haslam's net worth sits near $5.1 billion from his family's Pilot Flying J truck-stop empire; Dee Haslam runs the foundation and sits on the Crew's board. They also own the Cleveland Browns, acquired for $1.05 billion in 2012.
The $205 million price carries three messages. First, NWSL's institutional credibility has arrived. Expansion fees have climbed 580% since 2020, when Racing Louisville paid $30 million. Second, the Haslams are paying for optionality: Lower.com Field's 20,000 seats generate sponsor inventory the women's team can monetize separately, and shared operations cut overhead by an estimated 35-40% versus standalone ventures. Third, the market now prices NWSL franchises above several legacy MLS clubs; Austin FC sold for $200 million in 2018, Charlotte FC for $325 million in 2019. Columbus becomes the league's 16th team when play begins in 2026.
The arithmetic works if you believe the broadcast curve. NWSL's current media deal with CBS and ESPN runs through 2027 and pays roughly $40 million annually. The next cycle, negotiated during 2026, will set the floor. MLS jumped from $90 million per year to $2.5 billion over ten years with Apple in 2022. NWSL's comp is tighter to WNBA, which recently closed a deal worth $200 million per season starting 2026—five times the prior contract. If NWSL captures $150-200 million annually in its next window, a $205 million franchise fee pencils at 7-8x revenue multiple, standard for growth-stage leagues.
The Haslams also inherit the Crew's commercial infrastructure. The MLS side has 18 corporate partners including Nationwide, OhioHealth, and White Castle. Conversion rate from those relationships into NWSL inventory should run 50-60%, per executives at dual-gender club models in Portland and Utah. Lower.com itself—a mortgage tech company—paid $115 million over 20 years for stadium naming rights in 2021; a separate jersey or sleeve patch for the women's side could pull $3-4 million annually if priced near Angel City FC's $4.5 million DoorDash deal.
Columbus is the sixth NWSL market to pair with MLS. Portland, Seattle, and Utah run integrated operations; Orlando and Kansas City split ownership but share facilities. The model's appeal: stadium costs are sunk, groundskeeping is shared, and front-office salaries spread across two P&Ls. The risk: women's teams can become the secondary tenant in scheduling, marketing spend, and executive attention. The Crew drew 20,482 fans per match in 2024, third in MLS. The NWSL expansion side will need 12,000-15,000 to crack the league's top five in attendance—achievable if the Haslams commit marketing budget and avoid 6pm Thursday kickoffs.
League dynamics tilt Columbus's direction. NWSL is adding a 16th team; the last expansion window closed at 15 clubs. Odd numbers complicate scheduling and playoff brackets. The league has targeted 18-20 teams by 2028, meaning two to four more franchise auctions are coming. Expect fees to push $225-250 million if media rights land in the $150 million range. Denver, Philadelphia, and Milwaukee have submitted applications; Nashville and Tampa remain in quiet conversations.
The Haslams have twelve months to name a GM, settle kit sponsorships, and begin season-ticket drives. Player allocation happens via expansion draft in late 2025, same window the league's CBA expires. Current salary cap sits at $3.3 million per team; players want it closer to $5 million. How that negotiation closes will determine whether $205 million looks early or expensive.
The takeaway
**$205M** NWSL fee sets new women's sports ceiling and prices future expansion above legacy MLS markets if broadcast multiples hold.
nwslhaslamexpansioncolumbuswomen's soccermedia rights
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