Peacock signs deal as streaming home of USL Super League

The USL Super League, a new professional women’s soccer division in the United States, will have Peacock as its viewership home. The competition plays out its inaugural season in August of this year. Eight teams will start a competition to rival the National Women’s Soccer League in new cities. That includes the likes of Tampa Bay, Dallas, Spokane and Fort Lauderdale. Now, the eight teams know where their games will be available for viewers in the United States.

Every game in the inaugural USL Super League season will be available on Peacock. That amounts to 115 games between the regular season and postseason. The season starts on the weekend of August 17 and 18 when there are four games on the schedule.

The deal with Peacock is major because it gives the USL Super League a home. While the NWSL has a deal with an array of broadcasters, the USL Super League is available in one spot. Additionally, Peacock has built itself as an important part of the American soccer landscape. NBC has the rights to the English Premier League, and the broadcaster makes many games in the English top flight exclusive to the streaming platform. For the USL Super League, that applies to all games.

A strong starting point on Peacock for the USL Super League

NBC did not mention whether any games would be available on NBC or USA Network. Even though the Premier League is often available on those channels, the USL Super League, in its first season, does not have a comparable audience. Therefore, NBC is using Peacock as a way to gauge the popularity of the league. That said, the USL Super League will be going to a platform that has millions of subscribers. That number continues to rise, too, which gives the women’s soccer division a bigger base to work with.

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Amanda Vandervort, the USL Super League President, spoke about the importance of this deal with the streaming platform.

“NBC Sports and Peacock have raised the bar for soccer coverage in the United States, and their commitment to the USL Super League is a testament to what we are building,” Vandervort said. “It affirms the Super League’s integral role in elevating women’s soccer and bringing more opportunities for players, coaches, and fans in the women’s game.”

She went on to say that growing the USL Super League into one of the premier women’s soccer divisions is her goal. That does not only apply to the United States, but the entire world.

Competing with the NWSL

If the USL Super League is to surpass the NWSL, the Peacock deal is a good place to start. The NWSL has an established streaming home after years of flipping around. CBS, ESPN, Amazon and Scripps have provided a valuable deal to support NWSL’s rapid growth. Yet, the major concern with that deal is the widespread and, therefore, confusing nature of the multiple broadcasters.

Having Peacock as one spot that has every game in the USL Super League makes it easier for fans to know where games are happening. Additionally, the league can benefit from other sports. This summer, NBC will broadcast the Olympics, and Peacock is a major player with its coverage of the international games. Therefore, the USL Super League could have promotional content throughout the Olympics to alert fans about when games are happening.

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