Haslam Sports Group will pay $205 million for an NWSL expansion franchise in Columbus, Ohio, beginning play in 2028. The fee surpasses the $165 million Atlanta committed in September and becomes the league's new benchmark for the three remaining expansion slots the NWSL intends to fill by 2030.
The Columbus award arrives five weeks after Boston and Denver began play as teams 15 and 16, each paying $110 million in late 2023. Atlanta's $165 million was structured with deferrals; the Columbus deal at $205 million closes those deferrals and guarantees Atlanta's full payment, according to two people briefed on the league's capital structure. NWSL owners now hold commitments worth $1.09 billion in expansion fees since 2022, when San Diego paid $35 million to enter.
Haslam Sports Group controls the NFL's Cleveland Browns, the Columbus Crew MLS franchise, and a minority stake in the Milwaukee Bucks. The family office is run by Dee and Jimmy Haslam; Dee Haslam will serve as majority owner and governor of the Columbus NWSL team. The franchise inherits existing Crew infrastructure, including a 20,000-seat stadium that opened in 2021 and a training facility in Obetz, Ohio. The NWSL does not require new stadiums but prefers ownership groups with ready-made venues and local political alignment; Columbus checked both. The Haslams met with league officials in January, finalized terms in March, and announced the deal April 21.
The $205 million fee matters less for what Columbus pays than for what it forces other bidders to pay. The league has received formal interest from ownership groups in Cleveland, Phoenix, and Milwaukee, per a league spokesperson. None of those markets can now expect to enter below $200 million, and groups without existing sports infrastructure will need to explain the stadium gap. Milwaukee has the Bucks and Haslam minority ownership; Phoenix has no obvious facility or anchor tenant; Cleveland has the Browns but would compete with Columbus for regional attention. The NWSL plans to announce at least one more expansion team before the end of 2026, targeting 20 teams by 2030.
Atlanta's deferred $165 million payment was structured across three years, with tranches tied to league broadcast negotiations and certain sponsorship milestones. The Columbus deal at $205 million in cash accelerates Atlanta's remaining payments, according to one person familiar with the league's books. NWSL owners approved a rule in December allowing the league to call deferred fees early if a subsequent expansion fee exceeds the prior benchmark by more than 15 percent. Columbus cleared that threshold; Atlanta now pays in full by June 2027.
The valuation jump reflects two structural shifts. CBS Sports and ESPN began paying $240 million over four years for NWSL rights in 2024, up from $4.5 million annually in the prior deal. Sponsors including Visa, Google, and Nike extended or expanded commitments in 2025, adding $63 million in annual league revenue. NWSL teams now average $48 million in enterprise value, per Sportico's December 2025 survey, compared to $12 million in 2021. Expansion fees lag secondary-market valuations by 18 to 24 months; the $205 million Columbus price suggests the league expects primary enterprise values near $70 million by 2028.
Dee Haslam told reporters the team would play at Lower.com Field, the Crew's home venue, with capacity adjusted for NWSL attendance patterns. The league's current average is 11,250 per match; Columbus Crew averages 20,400. The NWSL does not share gate revenue but splits certain sponsorship categories; teams keep local kit deals and stadium naming rights. The Haslams already control Lower.com Field naming rights through the Crew; the NWSL franchise will negotiate separate field-level branding and a women's-specific kit supplier.
The league will collect $615 million in expansion fees between Atlanta's entry in 2026 and Columbus's debut in 2028, nearly triple the $220 million collected from Boston, Denver, and Utah in the prior cycle. Those fees flow to existing owners as equity distributions, not league operating capital. Owners have reinvested portions into salary-cap increases and performance bonuses; the NWSL salary cap rose to $3.8 million per team in 2026, up from $2.75 million in 2024.
Watch for Phoenix and Cleveland ownership groups to formalize bids by September, when the league reopens expansion applications. The league has not set a ceiling for team count but has told potential investors that markets without MLS or WNBA anchors will need independent venue commitments and $250 million liquid capital, per a February investor memo. Also watch for Atlanta to finalize its remaining $48 million deferred payment ahead of schedule, likely before July. The Haslams will name a club president and head coach by November; Dee Haslam has interviewed two former USWNT executives and one MLS chief business officer.
Columbus begins play in three years. By then, the league expects 18 teams, $91 million in annual media rights, and a valuation floor no expansion group can enter below $220 million.
The takeaway
Columbus's **$205M** fee resets NWSL's expansion floor and accelerates Atlanta's deferred payment, pricing out bidders without stadiums.
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