When Vicky Lynch became the Chicago Red Stars’ chief business officer in April, one of her biggest goals was to strike a local TV deal for the National Women’s Soccer League club.
Consider that mission accomplished for the 2022 season.
The Red Stars on Wednesday announced they brokered a deal with The U (WCIU-Ch. 26.2 and WMEU-Ch. 48.1) and Univision Chicago (WGBO-Ch. 66) to broadcast select matches in the 2022 season in English and Spanish.
“Giving this increased access to our fans has been a priority for us, so we are delighted to deliver this to them,” Lynch said in a statement. “These broadcasts will also elevate the club in the eyes of future corporate partners, leading more brands to join us in leveling the playing field for our players.”
Exact details of the agreements were not announced, but Lynch told the Tribune she anticipates 10 to 12 matches combined will appear on The U and Univision, depending on the schedules of each broadcaster and the NWSL’s national slate on CBS’ family of networks.
Lynch also said the deal should not lead to a local blackout of the league’s agreement with Paramount+ to stream most matches.
As part of the broadcast deals, local talent will be hired for play-by-play and analyst duties, Lynch told the Tribune, with Univision hiring Spanish-language announcers and the Red Stars finding an English-language commentary team for The U.
“We want to make sure our fans enjoy hearing people who know our team intimately,” Lynch said.
The Red Stars join the WNBA champion Sky on networks owned by Weigel Broadcasting, the parent company of The U.
“As a Chicago-based company, we want to extend our commitment to highlighting excellence in women’s sports,” Steve Farber, Weigel’s senior vice president of operations, said in a statement. “We look forward to making Red Stars matches more accessible to fans on over-the-air television.”
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Getting a TV deal is a big step for a Red Stars team that struggles for media coverage in a crowded sports landscape despite a recent run to three straight finals.
It’s also the first bit of good news for the club since The Washington Post in late November reported allegations of abuse against former coach Rory Dames.
The Red Stars still have not hired a replacement for Dames, who functioned as the team’s head coach and de facto general manager. Less than two weeks after Dames resigned, the Red Stars traded away six players — including captain Julie Ertz and DePaul alumna Sarah Gorden.
Most soccer moves, including last month’s draft, have been largely overseen by goalkeeper coach and acting head coach Rade Tanaskovic and assistant coach Julianne Sitch.
The Red Stars — whose extensive ownership group has remained mostly silent since the Dames fallout — said in December they hope to announce a new head coach this month.