Browns, Crew ownership group exploring Columbus NWSL expansion

A prospective ownership group from Columbus, Ohio, led by the Haslam family, is seriously exploring a National Women’s Soccer League expansion franchise, the group confirmed to ESPN.

The Haslam Sports Group (HSG) is led by Dee and Jimmy Haslam. HSG is the majority owner of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and MLS’ Columbus Crew, and co-owners of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks.

The proposed NWSL ownership group would also include HSG managing partners J.W. Johnson and Whitney Haslam Johnson, the family of Dr. Pete Edwards — who has a minority stake in the Crew, and recently acquired more shares from HSG — as well as the Columbus-based insurance company Nationwide.

– How to watch ‘NWSL: The Final Third’ on ESPN
– Ranking all 18 new NWSL team jerseys: The good, bad and ugly

“Haslam Sports Group consistently evaluates various investment opportunities across the sports and entertainment industry,” HSG, whose interest in an expansion franchise was confirmed by other NWSL stakeholders, said in a statement to ESPN. “On behalf of a partnership including Nationwide and the Haslam, Johnson and Edwards families, HSG has held exploratory conversations with the NWSL.

“We are excited to continue those conversations and further assess the best direction for all parties. With the growth of women’s sports and the NWSL, the prospect of an expansion franchise for the City of Columbus, Franklin County and passionate soccer fans across Ohio is incredibly appealing.”

Columbus is one of several prospective cities in the running to become the NWSL’s 18th franchise. Multiple sources described the market as one of the primary cities in contention for the next expansion slot, although nothing is finalized and there is no timetable for a decision from the NWSL on its next expansion team.

“While we don’t comment on specific markets or pending bids, we continue to engage in a deliberate, rolling expansion process with a number of world-class potential ownership groups as we look toward the future of the league,” an NWSL spokesperson said in a statement to ESPN.

The NWSL announced last November that Atlanta, backed by Arthur Blank’s AMB Sports, would be the league’s 17th team and begin play in 2028. AMB paid a league-record fee of $165 million. A source with knowledge of the Columbus bid said the investment group is also pushing to start play in 2028.

The source added that the plan is for a prospective NWSL team in Columbus to play at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, the current home of the Crew. The source added that in terms of a separate training facility for the NWSL team, some preliminary design work has already been done.

An impending NWSL game in June at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field is illustrative of the Haslams’ serious interest in the league, one source told ESPN.

The NWSL Challenge Cup — a game between last year’s Shield winner, the Kansas City Current, and last year’s champion, Gotham FC — will be played there on June 26.

The Crew previously played in a purpose-built stadium north of downtown until 2021. The MLS team still trains on the grounds adjacent to that stadium, which hosts the Crew’s reserve team and will soon host a United Football League team.

Columbus has also been a successful market for the United States women’s national team, who will play at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field on Wednesday against Canada. The city has also been a frequent host of U.S. men’s national team games.

The USWNT hosted Canada at the venue in April 2024 in front of a near-sellout crowd of over 19,000 fans. Wednesday will be the team’s third appearance at the venue since it opened.

The Haslams have owned the Browns since 2012.

The Crew has historically been one of MLS’ more successful teams, winning three MLS Cups, three Supporters’ Shields and one U.S. Open Cup. HSG officially took over ownership of the Crew in early 2019, saving the team from proposed relocation and keeping it in Columbus. The Crew moved into their new downtown stadium in summer 2021.

The NWSL has expanded rapidly in recent years after launching as an eight-team league in 2013. Teams in Boston and Denver begin play in March, bringing the league to 16 teams for the season.

Denver beat out a pair of other finalists from Ohio for the 16th franchise.

A group from Cleveland, which was not associated with the Haslams, was a finalist for the franchise rights to that 16th team alongside the group that owns MLS’ FC Cincinnati, who added WNBA star Caitlin Clark as an investor in an effort to boost their bid at the time.

NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman has said recently that the NWSL is shifting to expansion on a “rolling” basis, noting that many recent bidders are familiar with the process and the league.