Caitlin Clark joins Cincinnati ownership group in bid for NWSL team

Field Level Media|published: Fri 22nd November, 14:13 2024

Former Iowa women's basketball player Caitlin Clark reacts after a foul call on Iowa during the Drake vs. Iowa basketball game at Knapp Center on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Des Moines.

Caitlin Clark is joining a group bidding to own a National Women's Soccer League franchise in Cincinnati.

The NWSL bid team said Clark's influence on women's sports will serve as a boost toward its goal for an expansion franchise.

"The NWSL Cincinnati bid team is thrilled that Caitlin Clark has joined our ownership group in pursuit of bringing a women's professional soccer team to our city," the NWSL Cincinnati bid team said. "Her passion for the sport, commitment to elevating women's sports in and around the Greater Cincinnati region, and influence as an athlete and role model for women and girls around the world, make her a vital part of our compelling bid to become the 16th team in the NWSL."

The Boston franchise is set to join the NWSL as the 15th franchise.

Denver, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami and Nashville have reported interest in bidding for an expansion franchise in the NWSL.

The No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft after setting the all-time women's college basketball scoring record Clark, 22, was named the WNBA Rookie of the Year, receiving 66 of 67 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. She also became the first rookie to earn first-team All-WNBA honors since Candace Parker in 2008.

--Field Level Media