Haslam Sports Group will pay $205 million for the NWSL's 18th franchise in Columbus, a figure that automatically triggers Atlanta's deferred expansion payment of $165 million, according to people familiar with the league's financial structure. The Columbus franchise begins play in 2027.
The NWSL approved the Columbus bid last week after Haslam Sports Group—which owns the Cleveland Browns and Columbus Crew—partnered with the Edwards family on the application. The $205 million fee is the highest in women's professional sports history and exceeds Boston's and Denver's $53 million entry price by nearly four times. Atlanta's original expansion agreement, signed in October 2023, included a contingency clause: if the league added a team beyond the 17th slot at a fee above $150 million, Atlanta's deferred payment converted from optional to mandatory within 12 months. Columbus crossed that threshold.
The structure matters for three constituencies. First, the league collects $370 million in expansion cash across two deals—Atlanta and Columbus—rather than waiting on Atlanta's deferred schedule, which stretched to 2029. Second, existing team owners receive accelerated distributions from expansion fees, which are split equally across all clubs. Each of the original 14 franchises now receives a pro-rata share of $575 million in expansion payments since 2021, when Racing Louisville entered at $2 million. Third, the Columbus Crew's existing infrastructure—a $315 million stadium opened in 2021 with a separate training facility in Obetz—gives the NWSL team immediate access to a venue that already hosts international friendlies and Gold Cup matches. The Crew's average attendance in 2024 was 20,844, and the NWSL typically draws 30-40% of an MLS side's gate in shared markets.
The Haslam family's involvement carries sponsor implications. Pilot Flying J, the truck-stop chain controlled by Jimmy Haslam, has avoided women's sports sponsorships despite spending heavily on NASCAR and the Browns. The Columbus NWSL bid included commitments for front-of-jersey and stadium naming rights, according to one person close to the deal, though no brands were named in the league's announcement. The Edwards family—local real estate developers—brings city relationships that smoothed zoning and tax incentives. Columbus offered a $15 million infrastructure package tied to road improvements near the stadium, which benefits both the Crew and the new NWSL tenant.
Atlanta's conversion to a mandatory fee changes the expansion math for prospective buyers. Cincinnati, Las Vegas, and Nashville have all held preliminary talks with the league about joining as the 19th or 20th team, but those conversations now assume a floor price near $210 million, not the $53 million Boston and Denver paid. The NWSL has told interested parties it will cap membership at 20 teams through 2030, according to two people who attended league meetings in December. That creates a closing window: two slots left, with Cincinnati's ownership group—led by Carl Lindner III—viewed as the most likely next entrant.
The Columbus announcement also clarifies the league's media strategy. Commissioner Jessica Berman told owners in November that adding Columbus before the next media-rights cycle—which begins in 2027—strengthens the league's position with broadcasters. The current deal with CBS and Amazon pays $60 million annually and expires after the 2026 season. The league has hired Octagon to run the next auction, with a target of $150 million per year, according to a person briefed on the process. Adding 18 teams before those negotiations start gives the league more inventory and a cleaner geographic footprint: Columbus fills the Midwest gap between Chicago and Washington.
The Haslam group's bid included minority investors from the Columbus business community, though their names have not been disclosed. The structure mirrors the Crew's ownership, where the Haslams hold 80% and local partners hold the rest. The NWSL requires all expansion applicants to submit five-year operating budgets and demonstrate liquid assets equal to three times the entry fee, a rule imposed after Utah Royals FC was sold in 2020 following ownership cash-flow problems.
Columbus begins stadium planning immediately, with the team expected to play at Lower.com Field starting in 2027. The Crew's venue holds 20,371 for soccer and could be reconfigured for NWSL matches, though the league prefers teams to use between 15,000 and 18,000 seats to create scarcity. The NWSL's average attendance in 2024 was 11,250, up 27% from 2023.
Atlanta's payment schedule gives the league cash before the 2026 season, when two expansion teams—Atlanta and Columbus—will drive incremental travel and operational costs. The league has told existing teams to expect one-time payments of approximately $12 million each from the combined expansion fees, according to a financial memo reviewed by one owner. Those distributions occur in July 2025.
The next expansion decision comes in the third quarter, when Cincinnati submits updated financials to the league. Lindner's group has scouted sites near Paul Brown Stadium and TQL Stadium, home to FC Cincinnati, and the city has offered tax abatements similar to Columbus's package. The NWSL board meets again in October.
The takeaway
Columbus unlocks **$370M** in near-term cash and forces the next expansion bid above **$210M**, closing the league's growth window faster than expected.
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