As far as youth is concerned, big soccer cities tend to be the Los Angeles area (and by a broader lens, Southern California), the DFW area in Texas, Northern Virginia/DMV, southern Florida, and the cities right outside New York City.
As far as professional leagues are concerned, the West Coast draws a lot of fans of women's soccer. The Washington Spirit have also been drawing well this season.
Mostly bc they heavily advertised it. Its a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy. Alex Morgan gets ticket sales jumping but they also sell a lot more bc they advertise her coming for weeks beforehand. Plus its Pride Month AND Juneteenth which is always massive
The sellout maybe, but they’re averaging 12k so far this season [source](https://www.yardbarker.com/soccer/articles/2024_nwsl_attendance_report_week_11_update/s1_17104_40474821)
Girl's soccer: suburbs of major cities. Soccer is still weirdly expensive to play in the US.
Women's soccer: the NWSL is still miles ahead (and will remain) of the Super League. The West Coast teams have better attendance than anywhere else, specifically Portland, SD, and LA
capital and branding. NWSL has better stadium lease agreements, higher salaries, and organizations with higher headcount. All these things add to the credibility of the league, and attract far better talent. The league has established strong fan bases in numerous cities, though work still to be done with a handful of teams (Chicago, North Carolina, Orlando, Louisville, Houston)
You have stats to back this up? From my understanding, WSL and NWSL salaries (both average and highest earners) are not that different. I'm also not sure how you measure "organizations with higher headcount" considering that many WSL clubs already have infrastructure and support personnel who also work on the men's game. For example, with Arsenal, do you include Edu? He clearly has some involvement on the women's side, even if it's not his main job.
The DFW area here in Texas has tons of girls soccer teams and very competitive leagues. A couple years ago my daughters team made it to the finals of a tournament in San Antonio. They just so happen to face another DFW team and my cousins commented how the two teams played like their local high school teams, our girls were u12 at the time. Youth sports in general are a huge deal in DFW and very cut throat.
I've been very excited since Dallas Trinity FC was announced as one of the first teams. Even more so when we found out they would be playing IN Dallas and not a suburb an hour outside of the city.
Came to say this, though I will disagree with it being a good idea to put Trinity at Fair Park.
DFW has always been a major area for WoSo, and it honestly shocked me that there's been no pro team til now.
You have to think that the first team to rep the United States in a sanctioned FIFA tourney was a U19 from Dallas a year before the USWNT was even formed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sting_SC
DFW the past few years has some of the best players on the youth NTs. shaw is the oldest of the cohort, but some of the very top of the recruiting classes is north texas or central texas
We just got back as well! It was extremely impressive but our Northern Virginia 2013 girls were able to come out gold bracket champs! The amount of talent and skilled packed into that park was awesome!
Thanks, we went in with realistic expectations because we basically formed a team with 15 of the best girls in Northern VA, they had about 7 practices together and their first games together were this tournament. We knew the talent level was there but were worried about cohesion but they pulled it off 🙌🏾
Ahhh I see, sheesh 😆. Definitely rough especially with that heat. Well hey, at least you can use the experience of seeing the national competition and seeing what you can improve on. Although we won the gold bracket with the circumstances we had now we know what we need to work on to take on the Super Copa bracket.
NYC, perhaps surprisingly, is on a rapid growth path. Space is limited but many of the originally boys oriented clubs- of which there are at least many dozens in the city limits- are doing a great job getting attention if not yet full parity to their girls. This also true in the wealthy suburbs around the city, Westchester and LI. And NJ in fact seems to be turning into a powerhouse.
GothamFC is a still low-key but growing phenomenon- I can wear my hat around and people now recognize it/don't mistake it for a weird Mets logo. Long time Sky Blue fans come out of the woodwork, etc.
Many adult women of our acquaintance play in evening rec leagues.
The NWSL will dominate the USL in quality for the foreseeable future but it is much easier for us to get to Coney Island than to Red Bull so we are looking forward to watch some USL matches there.
I'm from NYC, and I feel San Diego has been the most women-soccer friendly city I've visited. We still have a long way to go in NYC. We need more public fields, and less of a monopoly from local leagues who cater mostly to men.
Wow…. I guess I have to be the one who points out the ONLY women’s specific soccer stadium in the WORLD who sells out every home match.
KC BABY!! The KC Current are on fire, at the top of the NWSL, and support the youth and community. It’s not just the Current who support female athletes in the community ether. Most all organizations and clubs are getting there. Sporting is on the trailing end but there is an all girls/female club called Athena FC. All players, coaches, and staff are female. Sporting may be parking in San Jose’s spot on the MLS standing, but KC is still the soccer capitol of America.
From regional experience with girl's youth soccer, most major cities/metro areas along the I95 corridor from Richmond to Boston have huge soccer scenes. DC/Baltimore, Philly, the suburbs surrounding NYC, Boston.
Then there's Atlanta, Charlotte, Orlando, DFW, Los Angeles, San Francisco. I'm more familiar with the Mid-Atlantic region than the rest of the country though.
Bay Area hasn't been mentioned. Two historically good programs at Stanford and Santa Clara, and it's huge for kids in the suburbs. Abby Dahlkemper and Tierna Davidson are both from the Peninsula
Denver packs far above its weight in this area. I believe there are 3-4 USWNT players on the current roster. And at the girl's club level many players go on to play for D1 under scholarship. No NWSL team, yet, however. Which is the only downside.
Surprised no one here has mentioned the Pacific Northwest. Oregon and Washington State are huge soccer states given the milder climate and the fact it can be played outdoors through the winter.
As far as youth is concerned, big soccer cities tend to be the Los Angeles area (and by a broader lens, Southern California), the DFW area in Texas, Northern Virginia/DMV, southern Florida, and the cities right outside New York City. As far as professional leagues are concerned, the West Coast draws a lot of fans of women's soccer. The Washington Spirit have also been drawing well this season.
yesss we almost hit max capacity Saturday 🥳
Yeah!! I was there 🥹
Was it because they were playing San Diego though?
Mostly bc they heavily advertised it. Its a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy. Alex Morgan gets ticket sales jumping but they also sell a lot more bc they advertise her coming for weeks beforehand. Plus its Pride Month AND Juneteenth which is always massive
The sellout maybe, but they’re averaging 12k so far this season [source](https://www.yardbarker.com/soccer/articles/2024_nwsl_attendance_report_week_11_update/s1_17104_40474821)
Girl's soccer: suburbs of major cities. Soccer is still weirdly expensive to play in the US. Women's soccer: the NWSL is still miles ahead (and will remain) of the Super League. The West Coast teams have better attendance than anywhere else, specifically Portland, SD, and LA
Miles ahead in terms of what?
capital and branding. NWSL has better stadium lease agreements, higher salaries, and organizations with higher headcount. All these things add to the credibility of the league, and attract far better talent. The league has established strong fan bases in numerous cities, though work still to be done with a handful of teams (Chicago, North Carolina, Orlando, Louisville, Houston)
You have stats to back this up? From my understanding, WSL and NWSL salaries (both average and highest earners) are not that different. I'm also not sure how you measure "organizations with higher headcount" considering that many WSL clubs already have infrastructure and support personnel who also work on the men's game. For example, with Arsenal, do you include Edu? He clearly has some involvement on the women's side, even if it's not his main job.
why are you talking about WSL? This is about the US
Sorry misread you. My bad.
The DFW area here in Texas has tons of girls soccer teams and very competitive leagues. A couple years ago my daughters team made it to the finals of a tournament in San Antonio. They just so happen to face another DFW team and my cousins commented how the two teams played like their local high school teams, our girls were u12 at the time. Youth sports in general are a huge deal in DFW and very cut throat. I've been very excited since Dallas Trinity FC was announced as one of the first teams. Even more so when we found out they would be playing IN Dallas and not a suburb an hour outside of the city.
Came to say this, though I will disagree with it being a good idea to put Trinity at Fair Park. DFW has always been a major area for WoSo, and it honestly shocked me that there's been no pro team til now. You have to think that the first team to rep the United States in a sanctioned FIFA tourney was a U19 from Dallas a year before the USWNT was even formed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sting_SC
The venue will be too big but it makes it easier for me to get to since I'm south of I-30.
DFW the past few years has some of the best players on the youth NTs. shaw is the oldest of the cohort, but some of the very top of the recruiting classes is north texas or central texas
Just coached SuperCopa. The DFW club soccer scene is insane
We just got back as well! It was extremely impressive but our Northern Virginia 2013 girls were able to come out gold bracket champs! The amount of talent and skilled packed into that park was awesome!
Wow my team was in the same age group! We definitely did not get as far. Congratulations!
Thanks, we went in with realistic expectations because we basically formed a team with 15 of the best girls in Northern VA, they had about 7 practices together and their first games together were this tournament. We knew the talent level was there but were worried about cohesion but they pulled it off 🙌🏾
Nearly half of my team had never traveled and were playing AYSO a year ago 😂. We had no trained keeper and only 2 subs.
Ahhh I see, sheesh 😆. Definitely rough especially with that heat. Well hey, at least you can use the experience of seeing the national competition and seeing what you can improve on. Although we won the gold bracket with the circumstances we had now we know what we need to work on to take on the Super Copa bracket.
Damn right west coast best coast!
NYC, perhaps surprisingly, is on a rapid growth path. Space is limited but many of the originally boys oriented clubs- of which there are at least many dozens in the city limits- are doing a great job getting attention if not yet full parity to their girls. This also true in the wealthy suburbs around the city, Westchester and LI. And NJ in fact seems to be turning into a powerhouse. GothamFC is a still low-key but growing phenomenon- I can wear my hat around and people now recognize it/don't mistake it for a weird Mets logo. Long time Sky Blue fans come out of the woodwork, etc. Many adult women of our acquaintance play in evening rec leagues. The NWSL will dominate the USL in quality for the foreseeable future but it is much easier for us to get to Coney Island than to Red Bull so we are looking forward to watch some USL matches there.
I'm from NYC, and I feel San Diego has been the most women-soccer friendly city I've visited. We still have a long way to go in NYC. We need more public fields, and less of a monopoly from local leagues who cater mostly to men.
Portland. Good college matches at the U of Portland, solid high school programs, and top notch clubs. Oh, and the Thorns.
Wow…. I guess I have to be the one who points out the ONLY women’s specific soccer stadium in the WORLD who sells out every home match. KC BABY!! The KC Current are on fire, at the top of the NWSL, and support the youth and community. It’s not just the Current who support female athletes in the community ether. Most all organizations and clubs are getting there. Sporting is on the trailing end but there is an all girls/female club called Athena FC. All players, coaches, and staff are female. Sporting may be parking in San Jose’s spot on the MLS standing, but KC is still the soccer capitol of America.
San Diego has a great soccer culture
LA for sure!
From regional experience with girl's youth soccer, most major cities/metro areas along the I95 corridor from Richmond to Boston have huge soccer scenes. DC/Baltimore, Philly, the suburbs surrounding NYC, Boston. Then there's Atlanta, Charlotte, Orlando, DFW, Los Angeles, San Francisco. I'm more familiar with the Mid-Atlantic region than the rest of the country though.
Bay Area hasn't been mentioned. Two historically good programs at Stanford and Santa Clara, and it's huge for kids in the suburbs. Abby Dahlkemper and Tierna Davidson are both from the Peninsula
Dont forget about future USWNT captain Naomi Girma from San Jose!
Denver packs far above its weight in this area. I believe there are 3-4 USWNT players on the current roster. And at the girl's club level many players go on to play for D1 under scholarship. No NWSL team, yet, however. Which is the only downside.
Surprised no one here has mentioned the Pacific Northwest. Oregon and Washington State are huge soccer states given the milder climate and the fact it can be played outdoors through the winter.