CLEVELAND — The push to bring a National Women's Soccer League team to Cleveland got a potential boost this week, after lawmakers in the Ohio House of Representatives passed a bill that would allocate $1 million to the construction of a women's professional soccer stadium.
Soccer is already the most viewed sport across the globe, and multiple outlets report that in the U.S., interest in women’s soccer especially has been growing.
"It's huge!" said Gina Kelly, content director at the Cleveland Soccer Group that is leading the charge for an NWSL club, said. "What they don't understand is how interested people are in professional soccer."
Kelly is on the board of the Shaker Youth Soccer Association and the Croatia Juniors Soccer Club. She grew up playing the sport, but didn't grow up watching a women's pro team. Now, she’s hoping to change that for others.
"How many legends did we miss out on because she was like, 'I don't have a future in this'?" Kelly asked. "And we want to create that future."
The NWSL has said it wants to add a 16th team to the league. Last October, the Cleveland Soccer Group launched a campaign to bring that team to the Cleveland market.
"The rest of the country is going to be watching soccer, and Cleveland can't sit on the sidelines on this," CSG CEO Michael Murphy said. "We've got to be in the game."
But to do that, Murphy stresses the city needs a place for the team to play.
"It's critical we have a viable stadium plan," he declared, "because without that, there is no chance."
Ohio House Bill 2 includes several economic investments in Cuyahoga County besides just the $1 million for a women's soccer stadium. The bill now heads to the Senate.
"It's a chance to get in early and [be] part of the growth of that league and the growth of women’s professional sports, which is very exciting," Murphy said.
Other markets may already have stadiums, but Murphy believes building a stadium specifically for a professional women's team would make Cleveland stand out in its bid.
"The league's going to have to determine whether they want to go to a market where there's already a stadium, but maybe they're a second or third tenant," Murphy explained. "Or, do they want to come to Cleveland for a stadium thats specifically built for the league and specifically built for professional women's sports."
"The idea of having a stadium has made this feel so real to a lot of people," Kelly added.
Right now, the Kansas City Current are building what they calls the world's first stadium for a women's professional sport’s team. Such a facility in Cleveland would be the second.
"Having that women's team be the leader in a major sport would speak volumes about Cleveland," Kelly said. "It would speak volumes to the girls and women in Northeast Ohio."
The city is already welcoming a men's Major League Soccer Next Pro team in 2025. They would also be able to use the stadium, Murphy notes, but the NWSL club would be the primary tenant.
According to Murphy, the stadium would seat around 13,000 fans and likely cost more than $120 million. Kelly says CSG has already found success finding soccer fans who would attend games at the stadium with their ticket pledge kit.
Murphy expects to be in New York this spring to present Cleveland's bid for a team. The NWSL is hoping to have 16th club in place by 2026.