North America’s top-tier National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has made a raft of major executive appointments as it continues its expansion, headlined by Brian Kelly and Rachel Epstein, who will lead the league’s commercial and marketing teams, respectively.
Kelly immediately becomes the NWSL’s chief commercial officer and will oversee the league’s business development, partnership media and broadcast, licensing, and consumer products.
He joins from the Top Rank Boxing promotion, where he served as chief revenue officer, managing revenue strategy across corporate partnerships, sponsorships, media rights, and diversified monetization.
Kelly said: “The momentum across the NWSL is clear, from rising attendance and viewership to growing interest from partners and fans alike. There is a significant opportunity to continue building a best-in-class commercial ecosystem that supports long-term growth for the league and its clubs.
“I look forward to working alongside Jessica, Rachel, and the broader NWSL team to deepen partnerships, unlock new revenue streams, and further accelerate the league’s commercial impact.”
As the league looks to boost its front office, Jessica Goldstein has also joined the commercial team as vice president of partnership management, while Meg Buchan has been promoted to vice president of broadcast.
Meanwhile, as the NWSL’s new chief marketing officer, Epstein will take responsibility for how the league shows up across culture, brand, and the marketplace to drive audience connection, accelerate fandom growth, and amplify stories that strengthen the league's position.
She joins NWSL next month from international sports broadcaster ESPN, where she served as vice president of live sports and audience expansion, overseeing marketing across a wide portfolio of properties, including the NWSL, basketball’s WNBA, tennis, baseball’s MLB, motor racing’s Formula 1, and international soccer.
Before ESPN, Epstein was part of the leadership team that launched North America’s top-tier Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) league, where she led marketing, events, and sponsorship.
Epstein said: “The NWSL is defining the future of sports, with a powerful connection to fans and a rapidly expanding cultural footprint.
“Building a brand that resonates across culture, media, and community will be critical as the league continues to grow. I look forward to amplifying the stories of this league and its players and deepening the connection with fans around the world.”
The appointments come amid a growth period for NWSL, having welcomed two new franchises, Denver Summit and Boston Legacy, for the current 2026 season, which started last month.
Before the start of this season, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman announced the league will award its 18th franchise later this year, with the selected team to begin play in 2028. Most recently, the league announced Atlanta as its 17th franchise in November.
Meanwhile, NWSL side Kansas City Current has announced a new broadcast partnership with Scripps Sport that will see its ION network air the 2026 Teal Rising Cup, the international four-team tournament held at home venue, CPKC Stadium.
The tournament’s second edition, featuring the KC Current, Mexican side Club América from Liga MX Femenil, and Brazilian Serie A clubs Corinthians SC and SE Palmeiras, is set to run from April 9 to 12.
Under the agreement, ION will air all four matches and provide supplementary programming during its five-hour broadcast window each day of the tournament, including a wraparound studio program.
