Beyond Wins and Losses: How the Denver Summit and NWSL Expansion Teams Find Success
By
Abigail Segel
2d ago· 7 min readenInsight
100/100
Golden Brown
Bagelometer↗
A baker's-dozen of insight crammed into one ring.
Score100TypeanalysisSentimentpositive
Summary
This article discusses how to properly evaluate the success of NWSL expansion teams, arguing that on-field results are a poor metric for new franchises. It uses the Denver Summit as a case study, highlighting that while the team may not be competitive yet, they are succeeding in other important areas like fan engagement, stadium atmosphere, and building a local identity. The piece suggests that fun and community connection are better short-term measures of success for expansion teams than wins and losses.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledEvaluating an expansion team by their results, then, is a recipe for disappointment.
But there's a better metric out there, one that corresponds to the NWS
The Denver Summit May Not Be Good, But They Sure Are Fun
There are many ways to measure the success of an expansion team. Are they filling stadiums? Do local fans seem engaged? Do they have an identity on the field? And, of course, are they any good? It’s generally wise to keep expectations for new sides
