How the NWSL built a winning culture

When Sarah Jones Simmer joined the National Women’s Soccer League as chief operating officer in 2024, the league was attempting to capitalize on surging national interest in women’s sports. Today, attendance and ratings are up, the league is expanding into new markets, and players are earning record salaries. In a live taping of "Section 415" at Charter's New Employer Brand Summit in New York, Simmer joined host Kerry Crowley on stage to discuss how the league office has courted new sponsors, earned the trust of players, and built a culture that can maximize the potential of women's soccer in the U.S. 00:00 Introduction 00:30 Sarah Jones Simmer, COO of the NWSL 01:53 How the NWSL is Collaborating, Not Competing With the World Cup 06:57 Bay FC and the Evolution of Women's Soccer Infrastructure in the Bay Area 09:31 Sarah's Non-Traditional Path to Sports Leadership 11:44 Building Trust at Scale in a Large Company 15:01 Three Leadership Principles: Beehive Soccer, Roster Rotation & the Penalty Kick Rule 17:32 How the NWSL Chooses New Markets and Ownership Groups 20:04 AI in the Workplace and Why Live Sports Stands to Benefit 22:05 What Success Looks Like for the NWSL Over the Next 5–10 Years 23:48 Outro and Credits Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices