Ali Krieger has long been an outspoken advocate for more investment in women’s sports, including on the broadcasting side. One example came at the 2023 men’s college basketball Final Four in Houston, where Krieger (then a current NWSL and USWNT player who was there as a Marriott ambassador) spoke passionately to media about the need for stronger NWSL investment across fronts, including broadcast deals. There, she had powerful lines such as “We deserve more” and “These women are worth investing in: the more we’re on TV, the more people know we exist.”
Two years later, a lot has changed. In November 2023, the NWSL struck media deals with ESPN parent Disney, Prime Video parent Amazon, CBS Sports parent Paramount Global, and ION parent Scripps Sports. Those deals reportedly pay the league $60 million annually in total, a huge jump from the previous reported figure of just $1.5 million a year from CBS, and they ensure that all matches are aired either with those four partners or on the league’s own free NWSL+ streaming platform. Meanwhile, Krieger finished her playing career by captaining Gotham FC to the NWSL championship in 2023, then joined ESPN in March 2024.
At ESPN, Krieger serves as their lead analyst for women’s soccer (including the NWSL, the USWNT, the Women’s World Cup and more), co-hosts weekly show Futbol W, and contributes to a variety of other network programming, including SportsCenter and ESPN FC. On that front, she appeared on a preview call Wednesday to promote ESPN and ABC’s coverage of the new NWSL season (which begins Friday night with one match on Prime Video and one on NWSL+, with ABC/ESPN’s coverage beginning with the Kansas City Current against the Portland Thorns Saturday at 12:15 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN+).
On that call, Awful Announcing asked Krieger about her 2023 comments and how she feels things have changed for the NWSL since then. She said she feels like the message was received, and companies have gotten behind the league in a big way, including with both increased payments and increased prime exposure on the broadcasting side.
“I feel like people are really paying attention and hearing us and supporting us and putting money behind us and investing,” Krieger said. “That’s what it’s all about, because they know that it’s such a good product. You have quality human beings, first and foremost, and then have you extremely qualified and talented players who deserve to be on the Friday night games and prime time Saturdays and Sunday afternoons.”
Krieger said another thing that’s been good to see out of the split broadcasting deals is the way the various outside media companies and the NWSL itself are promoting each others’ broadcasts and promoting the players featured on them.
“I think that people are recognizing that you’re not only investing in the club and the organizations and the league, but you’re investing in the players who are performing weekly within these clubs and within these leagues. So it’s great that we have five, I think, broadcasting companies. I think ESPN is obviously leading the way in that and really also not afraid to support all of the other four broadcasting media companies and holding their hand and really guiding them so that it’s kind of a project, a team project. It’s really healthy to see, and it’s so much progress.”
These particular benefits came after Krieger’s playing career, but she said she’s grateful to see the situation improve for today’s players.
“I wish that I was still playing another five, 10 years, just to enjoy the benefits of it all. Now I’m kind of at the desk and behind the scenes. But it’s really great to see the impact that we’ve had as players to kind of, you know, continue to grow. And people are actually finally hearing us, and it’s just comforting and it’s rewarding because you work so hard over the years to just get the game to where it’s at now.”
Krieger said she thinks the league can still reach higher heights, though.
“Obviously, the work is not done and it can continue to grow. We’re not quite there, but we’re closer and we’re getting there each and every day, and every season is getting better. You could see that even at the final in 2023, they put so much money into really making it an experience for the players and really being professional and having these parties and having these—just the hotel was dressed up with the signage. You know, you really felt, like, the media behind it, the content behind it, the game itself. The field wasn’t great, which was probably the most important part, but we’re working on that.”
She noted there have been further improvements since that 2023 final, including a media day this year to promote players.
“It’s growing tremendously, and it’s really about the players. And the media is investing now and broadcasting teams are investing now. And it’s just really rewarding because that’s exactly what we wanted to do all this time.”
On a personal level, Krieger said she’s still adapting to broadcasting rather than playing, but it’s an enjoyable challenge.
“It’s hard, right? I love it. I love talking soccer, I love analyzing games, I love analyzing players and just—you know, I guess just pumping up the league and also dabbling in [Mexico’s] Liga MX Femenil, I think that’s important to talk about, because with the World Cup coming up hopefully in 2031, we’re going to be hosting alongside them. And then Canada, too, our neighbors, talking about their new [Northern 8] league coming out. And then the NWSL, now that ESPN has taken over broadcasting for the NWSL, it’s just enjoyable that we have now women’s games on all the time.
“It’s hard, because you don’t always get it right, and you are learning every single day. But the more reps you get, the better it will become and the easier it will become. So I’m learning a lot behind the scenes, and I’m learning that media is a lot tougher than it looks from the outside in. And I’m really enjoying working with other badass female hosts and journalists and reporters along the way. I think they have been incredible and everybody just wants each other to win, so that’s something that’s really exciting at ESPN.”
Krieger said she approaches broadcasting with the intensity she was known for as a player, and thrives on the pressure there.
“I think I do that in everything I do,” she said. “It’s just something that drives me. I love to be under pressure. I love everything that has to do with pressure and thriving in that space. I think that adrenaline as well is something that’s really exciting. So, yeah, for me specifically that’s, I’m just so used to it, playing at the highest level and on the world’s biggest stages, it’s hard to turn the knob down a little bit and turn the switch off.
“I think it’s something I will do in everything that occurs that I have my hand in, in different aspects of my life and different passions. So, yeah, I think that’s still true today. Even after I retired, I’m very competitive and still addicted to winning and want to be in pressure situations. Because I feel like, oddly enough, I’m calm in those situations, because I’m so familiar with it. ”
Moving from the playing side to the broadcasting career hasn’t decreased Krieger’s interest in advocating for players, though. She said she feels the need to use her platforms to discuss off-field issues as well as on-field ones, and to do her best to try and improve things for those who are still playing.
“I feel like it’s really important to not only talk about football but also everything that comes along with the game, and to help these players succeed in the environments, the accommodations, the resources. I think if you still talk about it, especially in the media, when you have all the eyes watching and people will listen, I think understanding the game is not just what’s on the field but off the field as well.”
She said her experience as a NWSL player is helpful, too, letting her connect with players’ day-to-day experiences.
“I think having a player’s experience is so key for broadcasting as well, because you’ve lived it, you’ve breathed it, you’ve been there, you have firsthand experience. And that’s also why I love my ambassador role with Gotham FC, because—I’m having a meeting later with the club as well to just talk about things that they can, you know, one, improve, but also host events or do specific things for the players, because I feel like I’m a liaison between the players and the club.
“I think it’s just nice to have a player’s perspective, no matter if it’s broadcasting or on our own platforms, in podcasts, just out at games, I think it’s extremely important because we live it every day. We know what’s needed, we know what the players want, and what can help them succeed. So I want to continue to do that, whether that’s in the studio or not.”
Krieger said there’s a balance to strike there between on- and off-field coverage, but she thinks both are important.
“I know that my job is to analyze the games and players, and provide some content behind that, and education as well behind that. But I do feel like it’s a really great platform for us to talk about the realness about off-field stuff as well, and how we can help these women really succeed and thrive off the field and out of the workspace, so to speak, as well.”
In Krieger’s mind, the increased broadcasting and other investment in the NWSL has led to players and teams in turn putting more in themselves. And she said that’s led to the quality of the on-field product rising.
“If you invest, you can actually see the quality that you’re investing in, and it’s so so important. And you could see the investment. As long as that continues to grow, then the players are giving more because they’re happier, they’re earning more. And the game is just really, really fun to watch now.”
