Jaspreet Bindra The NWSL’s “Just Watch” campaign highlights soccer excellence, not gender, as the league eyes further growth with a fresh, star-driven approach.
The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is unveiling a new direction for its marketing efforts with the launch of its third annual campaign, “Just Watch.” With women’s soccer growing rapidly—evidenced by a 300% increase in NWSL viewership year-over-year and a record-breaking 9 million viewers tuning into the US Women’s National Team’s Olympic gold medal win—the league is focused on promoting the game itself, rather than simply its gender.
Julie Haddon, the NWSL’s chief marketing and commercial officer, explained that the goal is to shift the narrative. “We’re not making a women’s soccer ad,” she emphasized. “We’re making a soccer ad that happens to feature the best players in the world.” This nuanced approach marks a departure from traditional women’s sports marketing, which often emphasizes gender over athleticism.
The campaign features action-packed footage of stars like Olympic gold medalist Trinity Rodman, reigning NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga, and Brazilian soccer icon Marta, alongside rising talents such as Alyssa Thompson and Ally Sentnor. The ad also features a reimagined version of Latashá’s song “Who I Am,” narrating a dynamic call to action for audiences to “watch us move, fly, break, burn, rise, and rule.”
With big names like Alex Morgan and Kelley O’Hara absent from this season’s lineup, the NWSL hopes the new campaign will engage viewers by showcasing the league’s depth and the thrilling, world-class soccer on display.
By focusing on the athletes and the game itself, the NWSL could solidify its place in mainstream sports culture, broadening its appeal and attracting new fans beyond gender-focused marketing.
