A+E Networks is investing in the National Women’s Soccer League with an equity stake, and together the two entities are launching NWSL Media, a media and commercial joint venture. Lifetime will be official sponsor and broadcast partner of the league in a three-year deal beginning in April with the broadcast of an NWSL Game of the Week every weekend of the season. Dan Surrat, A+E Nets’ president, corporate development, strategy and Investments, told Cynopsis at a presser that the move is about the evolution of the Lifetime brand.

“There’s absolutely a sense of mission for the Lifetime brand as it’s evolving, and the launch of the Fempire, which is about creating engaging content and the empowerment of women at all ages. This is a sport that completely fits into that, when you look at what soccer has done over the last 15 or 20 years with its growth in the US.”

A+E Nets’ president/CEO Nancy Dubuc said the new sports content will face “the same challenges we face with any show we do. At first audiences don’t have connection to characters, there’s no connection to story, there’s not even awareness of what that show is or what its brand is. It’s only with risk-taking that we can grow a franchise into a show like a Dance Moms or an Unreal or a Rap Game. And this is a comparable investment.” Dubuc added the NWSL’s existing brand provides a big leg up. “We don’t have to take that risk of whether or not there’s any audience that goes to NWSL games, or whether there’s interest in soccer or not. We know that’s there. And in a world where marketing and social and the way you can target audiences are all evolving, it’s easier for us to find those constituents who are already passionate and predisposed to be passionate about women’s soccer.”