This past weekend, women’s soccer fans from across the country flocked to Kansas City, Missouri for the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Championship. The Orlando Pride were ultimately victorious, claiming their first NWSL Championship title after securing a 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit at CPKC Stadium. Despite the fact that Kansas City’s home team, the KC Current, fell just short of qualifying for the Championship game, the support for women’s sports was palpable throughout the entire city.

Fans that flew into Kansas City’s MCI airport were greeted with rows of KC Current merchandise displays, featured just as prominently as merchandise for the City’s men’s sports teams. Throughout the city, street cars were wrapped in KC Current branding; sports bars had KC Current scarves hanging in their windows; KC Current banners flew along the Berkley Riverfront trail; and of course, CPKC Stadium – the first and only stadium built for a women’s professional team – glowed along the Missouri River. The support for the KC Current (and women’s sports in general) was not only felt, but it was on full display.

“The support that Kansas City has shown to this club is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It’s different here in Kansas City,” said Raven Jemison, the President of the KC Current organization. “The level of support, the level of notoriety, the level of education around the sport. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen in any city that I’ve ever been in.”

A Leading City For Women’s Sports Innovation

In October of 2021, Kansas City Current Owners Angie and Chris Long along with Patrick and Brittany Mahomes made one of the most historic announcements when it comes to an investment in women’s soccer when they shared their plans for building the first purpose-built stadium for professional women’s sports. Their commitment was to invest $135-million in building a soccer-specific stadium at Berkley Riverfront Park, which would become the first soccer stadium purpose-built for an NWSL team. The team worked primarily with a women-led design team at Kansas City-based Generator Studio to bring the plans to life.

Fast forward, in October of 2023, the Kansas City Current announced a historic 10-year stadium naming rights agreement with Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), and CPKC Stadium was born. CPKC, which has its U.S. corporate headquarters in Kansas City, is a long-time supporter of women’s sports. CPKC has been the title sponsor of the LPGA’s annual CPKC Women’s Open since 2014.

Beyond the KC Current and CPKC Stadium, Kansas City boasts numerous strong women leaders in the sports and entertainment industry, along with a powerful cohort of women business leaders and elected officials. Notably, Kansas City is home to Women Leaders in Sports – an organization dedicated to elevating the careers of women working and leading in sports. Headquartered in the heart of Kansas City, you can easily spot the Women Leaders in Sports building by their large mural that reads, “Strong Women Lift Each Other Up.” Women Leaders in Sports currently serves nearly 6,000 members representing 600+ institutions, sports teams, and sports businesses nationwide. The organization has been an instrumental part in making Kansas City a home for women’s sports.

“Kansas City truly shined as a host city for the NWSL Championship, demonstrating our vibrant community spirit and unwavering support for women’s sports,” said Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders in Sports. “We are proud to be a place where women’s sports can thrive, and this championship was a testament to Kansas City’s commitment to leading the way.”

Investing In Women’s Sports Is Good Business

Ahead of the 2024 NWSL Championship, Visit KC forecasted the City of Kansas City would see $2.3 million in economic impact during the weekend alone. The NWSL Championship game was announced as a sell-out game, filling the 11,500-seat CPKC Stadium to capacity.

“It was a natural choice to stage the league’s marquee event in a venue that exemplifies the profound impact of infrastructure, investment and community support on the continued development and success of our sport,” said NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman in the release announcing the selection of Kansas City to host the Championship game. “CPKC Stadium epitomizes the explosive growth and investment we are witnessing in the NWSL, women’s soccer and women’s sports around the world.”

The KC Current estimate that CPKC stadium will generate $20 million per year in revenue, creating business for the Current organization that most professional women’s sports teams don’t have since they typically aren’t the primary tenant in the facilities where they practice and play. Beyond the revenue streams like sponsorship, ticket sales, parking fees and merchandise sales, the KC Current organization has monetized CPKC Stadium by hosting other events at the venue, like concerts, comedy shows, and of course, the 2024 NWSL Championship.

“We want to do this right for the city that has embraced this endeavor in a way that I’ve never seen before,” said Jemison. “We want to be the women’s sports organization that is changing the sports & entertainment landscape forever.”