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Adobe and multimedia platform Just Women’s Sports are bringing the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup stateside.
Today, the brands announced a partnership for a new in-studio World Cup show hosted by Emmy-winning former ESPN personality Katie Nolan and U.S. Women’s National Team and NWSL Gotham FC star Midge Purce, debuting July 20.
The eight-episode series, The 91st, will run through the end of the tournament in August, and a rotating selection of guests will join Nolan and Purce to discuss the biggest headlines from this year’s tournament.
Viewers can see it air across JWS’ YouTube page and podcast channel.
“This summer’s World Cup is poised to be the biggest event in the history of women’s sports,” Haley Rosen, Just Women’s Sports founder and CEO, said in a statement. “This is a chance for us to drive the online conversation by bringing together two accomplished personalities who aren’t afraid to say what they think and have fun while they do it.”
The new series will lean on Nolan’s passion as a fan and Purce’s expertise as a player. Purce would have been nearly guaranteed a spot on the 23-person USWNT World Cup roster, but has been riddled by injuries this season, first a quad tear and then a lingering hip injury.
Hitting viewership goals
An expected 2 billion people are set to tune into the month-long tournament as the USWNT aims for an unprecedented third world championship in a row, creating a massive opportunity to capitalize on viewership.
Fox and Telemundo have the U.S. broadcast rights, with all 64 games being aired domestically in English and Spanish. And The 91st will look to cater to the online audience craving content outside of broadcast.
“Every World Cup is special, and this show will amplify just how much, with a fresh, fun look at the game and what is often missed in it,” Purce said in a statement.
The new show marks the first time Adobe has sponsored a World Cup series—men’s or women’s. Additional brand partners in the endeavor include AT&T.
Adobe is also an official partner of the National Women’s Soccer League and aims to advance equity in sports, helping players and fans develop creative skills on and off the field.
“This is a historic time for women’s soccer and the USWNT,” Nolan said in a statement. “As a fan, I can’t wait to watch. And as a host, I can’t wait to talk about all the players, teams and moments that will define this summer’s World Cup.”
Continuing to grow
Rosen launched JWS in 2020 as a digital-first media platform that’s 100% dedicated to women’s sports. The start-up raised $6 million in seed funding last year from investors such as Blue Pool Capital.
New investors include Billie Jean King, Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang, Abby Wambach and Apolo Ohno. They join former investors Kelley O’Hara, Elena Delle Donne, Hilary Knight, Arike Ogunbowale and Sam Mewis in supporting the outlet, which previously raised $3.5 million in 2021.
