The Land for Women’s Sports
Cleveland, Ohio is home to countless professional and semi-pro sports teams, colleges, and both youth and adult athletic organizations that have built spaces to enjoy sport. And there are more on the way. As the unrelenting momentum for women’s sports continues, how can the city benefit from these new opportunities? And what makes Cleveland the place for this growth?
The Land, as Cleveland is affectionately called, has already proven itself as a hub for women’s sports. For example, Cleveland hosted the NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four in April 2024, bringing in thousands of spectators and $32.9 million in direct spend, according to the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission.
A few months later in August, the inaugural Women’s Decathlon World Championship brought athletes from 12 countries to the city for the 10-event track and field competition. And since 2021 and slated again for 2025, Tennis in the Land has welcomed thousands of spectators for this stop on the WTA tour prior to the US Open.
Athletes from across the globe traveled to Cleveland to compete in the Women’s Decathlon World Championship.
With these headlines and Cleveland’s pending bid for a team in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), which has already acquired over 15,000 season ticket pledges, there is a spotlight on the city.
Simultaneously, other sports are looking to expand. The WNBA hopes to add three franchises over the next two seasons and Cleveland has thrown its name into the ring as well, adding further buzz to the city’s fanbase.
In terms of supporting the athletes coming to Northeast Ohio, the Cleveland Clinic, the #2 ranked hospital in the world, is based here, providing amateur and professional athletes alike with top tier, comprehensive medical services.
Play Gap, a nonprofit that champions accessibility and equity for women in sports, was founded in Cleveland and is aligned with 26 teams, leagues and sports organizations across Ohio, representing over 5,000 adult participants. With their experience and intersectional approach to athlete wellbeing, they’re dedicated to ensuring that a professional women’s sports team in Cleveland would be executed in a way that addresses the diverse needs of the organization and community.
Fans are ready to bring a professional women’s soccer team in the NWSL to Cleveland, Ohio.
While not everyone has the capacity to attend live sports in-person, we can usually catch them on television. However, women’s sports have been limited in their media exposure compared to their male equivalents, but that could be changing too. This year, Whoopi Goldberg has launched the All Women’s Sports Network (AWSN) to exclusively show women’s sports across 65 countries. Tackling the disparity for broadcasting representation, this new venture could catapult women’s sports into nearly every home. This media opportunity alone can have regional economic advantages.
WNBA and NWSL watch parties in the greater Cleveland area have already rallied women’s sports fans together at local businesses. And on November 20, 2024, The W Sports Bar announced that they are bringing Cleveland’s first women’s sports bar to fruition as an inclusive spot for fans across all sports to watch and cheer on their favorite women’s teams.
Other companies can utilize the increased accessibility to women’s sports for their own advertising, sponsorships, and creative marketing tactics to target new demographics and raise awareness for their offerings. New professional teams in the city would also result in new venues, training facilities and events that would bring additional job opportunities to the region.
Crowds gathered at Brewnuts in Cleveland to watch the NWSL Championship Game on November 23, 2024.
For new sports teams to succeed in a city, proper backing and infrastructure is critical, and Cleveland has shown its buy-in at the corporate and community level. There is no doubt that professional women’s teams will thrive here. Not only would the franchise players, coaches and staff benefit, but Northeast Ohio as a whole would see positive impacts.
We’re now in a position to turn this anticipation and energy into action. Whether you’re donating funds, starting your own league, pursuing a career in sports or just inviting a friend to watch a game, you play a part in this incredible story. The Land has already seen many spectacular sporting moments, and it’s time to make more.
If you’d like to find ways to get more involved, reach out to us at Play Gap and we’ll connect you to in-person and remote opportunities that fit you and your interests.
