National Women’s Soccer League, Nationwide announce multiyear partnership renewal

NEW YORK - The National Women’s Soccer League announced today a multiyear renewal of its partnership with Nationwide, the league’s exclusive insurance partner and presenting sponsor of the Nationwide Community Impact Award since 2021. With the extension, Nationwide will also maintain its position as a non-exclusive partner in the investment and retirement planning category.

“Alongside Nationwide, the NWSL and its member clubs have supported more than 30 community partners around the country, and we look forward to serving many more as part of this continued collaboration,” said NWSL Executive Vice President of Partner Strategy Mitch Poll. “Service and advocacy are foundational pillars of our league and the broader women’s sports community, and we’re committed to reinforcing the powerful connection between sports and social responsibility. We’re thrilled to continue working with Nationwide to lift up the causes and initiatives that we believe will create a positive and lasting impact in the communities we play in, both on and off the pitch.”

Since co-creating a philanthropic platform with the NWSL, Nationwide has collaborated with the league, its clubs and designated player ambassadors to showcase and support unique club-community partnerships in each market. To date, Nationwide has contributed nearly $250,000 to team-selected nonprofit organizations around the league. The winner of the 2023 Nationwide Community Impact Award will be announced in an on-field presentation during the 2023 NWSL Championship, presented by Bud Light, on November 11 in San Diego.

The partnership renewal ensures Nationwide’s continued support of the community impact program, which will include significant enhancements to the platform starting with the 2024 campaign.

“This renewal represents our confidence in where this league is going. We’re excited to contribute to its momentum and showcase the talent, passion, and excellence of these athletes,” said Ramon Jones, EVP and chief marketing officer for Nationwide. “We’re also continuing our support to players off the pitch as we look forward to hosting a new group of women to ‘Experience Nationwide’ through a unique immersion program we created specifically for NWSL athletes.” 

For the second year in a row, Nationwide plans to provide several current NWSL athletes with a professional development opportunity at the company’s headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. The 2023 “Experience Nationwide” class is expected to include Dorian Bailey (Washington Spirit), Shea Groom (Houston Dash), Savannah Madden (Houston Dash), Addisyn Merrick (Kansas City Current), Cassie Miller (Kansas City Current) and Abby Smith (Gotham FC).

The two-week program, which begins November 27, will introduce the athletes to Nationwide’s corporate culture and equip them with knowledge that will serve them now and after their playing days. A look back at the inaugural “Experience Nationwide” program can be found here.

Tickets for the 2023 NWSL Championship, presented by Bud Light, remain available here, with kickoff set for 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 11. The match will air live in primetime on the CBS Television Network and Paramount+, with additional coverage details to be announced in the coming days. 

About NWSL
The National Women’s Soccer League is the premier women’s professional soccer league in the world featuring national team players from around the globe. The clubs are Angel City FC, Bay FC, Boston, Chicago Red Stars, Houston Dash, Kansas City Current, NJ/NY Gotham FC, North Carolina Courage, OL Reign, Orlando Pride, Portland Thorns FC, Racing Louisville FC, San Diego Wave FC, Utah Royals FC, and Washington Spirit.