The NWSL's fifth season starts April 15, marking a "watershed moment for the young league and a sign of just how far the NWSL and women's soccer" in the U.S. have come, according to Jamie Goldberg of the Portland OREGONIAN. Thorns Owner Merritt Paulson, who also owns the Timbers, said, "Just the fact the league exists now five years in is a massive statement in and of itself. When you look at the history of women's pro soccer in this country, no other league has made it past three seasons. Do we have a lot of room to grow and a lot of improvements to make? 100 percent, but let's not lose sight of the fact that we've come as far as we have." Goldberg wrote the "most noticeable asset" that has set the NWSL apart is the "extraordinary success and profitability" of the Thorns. The NWSL's "flagship franchise has led the way for the fledgling league as it has developed into the most successful women's club brand in the world, averaging an incredible 16,945 fans per game" in '16. The league's other nine teams "taken together averaged just 4,292 fans per game last season." Paulson: "Certainly there's a lot more to the success of this league than the Thorns, but I do think the Thorns have been a driver of this league." Like the Thorns, the Houston Dash and Orlando Pride are "both backed by MLS teams and are able to take advantage of that built-in infrastructure," while the now-defunct Western New York Flash were "taken over by the same ownership group as NASL side North Carolina FC" and rebranded as the Courage this year. But the remaining clubs are "independently owned and, as such, conditions throughout the league remain uneven." Salaries "remain another significant issue for the NWSL." The league, which has a six-month season, "took a big step forward this year by raising its minimum salary from $7,200 to $15,000, but it's still difficult for players to make ends meet and many must take outside jobs" (OREGONLIVE.com, 5/4).
