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Report: US Soccer increasing spending on NWSL

The U.S. women will reportedly play nine games in the build up to World Cup qualifying in October. (Photo Copyright Patricia Giobetti for The Equalizer)

The U.S. Soccer Federation will increase spending on the National Women’s Soccer League by over 50 percent in 2014 from what they spent in 2013, according to a report by the Washington Post’s Steve Goff.

According to the report, the USSF will spend $807,000 on the NWSL in 2014, compared to $526,000 in 2013.

Additionally, Goff states that the U.S. women will play nine friendlies — eight home and one away — in the build-up to CONCACAF Women’s World Cup qualifying in October, in addition to the three already scheduled in the coming weeks. Each of the following months are slated to feature two U.S. home games: April, June, August and September, plus an away game in May.

From what The Equalizer has learned previously, the one road game is likely to be in Canada, which would limit the amount of travel for players in the front half of the NWSL season.

The two home games in June will be against France, according to previous reports.

If accurate, the reported schedule means the U.S. women will play seven games during the NWSL season, including two in the homestretch in August. Goff notes they would be FIFA dates, but it’s unlikely the NWSL would take off with a packed schedule of 24 games in under five months.

The U.S. women will open the year on Jan. 31 in Frisco, Texas, against Canada, then play Russia on Feb. 8 and 12, in Boca Raton, Fla., and Atlanta, respectively.

Also of interest is the continued strong fan support on the men’s and women’s side, with a note in the report that the typical U.S. women’s home game generates “between $210,000 and $322,000 in revenue,” while an away game for the U.S. women causes $100,000 in losses.

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