With only two days to go until the start of the 2017 season, the National Women's Soccer League announced its partnership with go90 as its official streaming partner for the foreseeable future. It has been a long wait for fans to hear about their streaming options but the news has arrived and it will allow fans in any part of the world to stream NWSL matches all season long. The only match not available on the application will be the 'NWSL Game of the Week' which will be shown on the Lifetime channel.

The Houston Dash and the Chicago Red Stars will start off the 2017 season | Source: chicagoredstars.com
The Houston Dash and the Chicago Red Stars will start off the 2017 season | Source: chicagoredstars.com

go90 looks to make strides in the streaming industry using the NWSL

go90 is a mobile-streaming service which is accessible live and on-demand. The app was created under Verizon as the corporation looks to delve deeper into the sports landscape that is currently dominated by the likes of Youtube and Facebook when it comes to streaming services not affiliated to a network. The app will show a total of 98 NWSL matches this season. For potential viewers, the app can be accessed by visting go90.com or by downloading the go90 app from the App Store or Google Play. Any users with go90 version 3.0 or later version can also cast live games onto Airplay or Chromecast, with no registration required. For fans who would prefer to watch on their televisions instead of their phones or tablets, this will be welcome news.

Every match will be produced by Vista WorldLink, a media solutions provider, in high-definition and in what many NWSL fans will hope to be a modern approach to NWSL matches from here on out. The games will also include a halftime show and short pre and postgame segments. Michael Cohen, a long-time broadcaster of nine Olympic Games and three FIFA World Cups In addition to the NWSL Game of the Week on Lifetime, Michael Cohen, a veteran broadcaster of nine Olympic Games and three FIFA World Cups, will be the executive producer for all digital broadcasts of the NWSL on go90.

Portland Thorns FC and the Orlando Pride will be the first NWSL Game of the Week | Source: Charles King-Orlando Sentinel
Portland Thorns FC and the Orlando Pride will be the first NWSL Game of the Week | Source: Charles King-Orlando Sentinel

This partnership aims to expand soccer as a whole in the U.S.

NWSL Managing Director of Operations Amanda Duffy was available to make a few comments on this announcement. Duffy stated that she and NWSL Media were happy to announce the partnership and felt that the league was now "positioned to deliver more content than ever before". Duffy also felt that this was a big step forward for the league as the app has a "rapidly growing soccer audience" and that audience would now include NWSL fans who will experience the "enhanced digital broadcast production" that go90 provides.

go90 at the moment, streams over 1,000 live soccer matches from around the world and wants to help U.S. soccer fans experience the same functionality within their own domestic leagues. Chip Canter, GM of Verizon Digital Entertainment, also spoke about his excitement at partnering up with the NWSL. Canter believes that the NWSL players are "inspiring the next generation of young soccer stars, both young men and women" and that the partnership would serve as a "catalyst for the growth of the sport as a whole" in the U.S.

If all goes according to plan, this will be a welcome platform for years to come as women's soccer continues to maintain a foothold in the U.S. A successful viewing platform that is easy to use and available even outside the U.S. will go a long way in also cementing the league in the minds of foreign fans and players. That is what the NWSL will want as they continue to push forward to be regarded as one of, if not the best, league in the world. 

Where to watch the NWSL both in the US and outside of it

With the schedule starting off on April 15-16, starting off with the Houston Dash welcoming the Chicago Red Stars in the first match of the season, both domestic international fans will be able to use NWSLsoccer.com and the NWSL iOS app to watch the season unfold using multiple and free platforms. The following is how fans can watch their favourite teams live each week, starting with the opening weekend:

U.S. and Territories Viewing Platforms
NWSL Game of the Week — Lifetime, mylifetime.com, Lifetime iOS and Andriod App
All other Games (98 matches) — go90

Outside U.S.
NWSL Game of the Week — NWSLsoccer.com, NWSL app (iOS)
All other Games (98 matches) — NWSLsoccer.com, NWSL app (iOS)

Quotes via TheBold.net

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