NWSL Washington Spirit execs said that the team will play two "matches at DC United’s Audi Field late this season," according to Steven Goff of the WASHINGTON POST. Officials from both teams are "expected to finalize the contract next week" for the Spirit to face the Orlando Pride on Aug. 24 and Reign FC on Sept. 14. The Spirit’s other 10 home matches will take place at Maryland SoccerPlex, the team’s "base of operations since the NWSL started play" in '13. The Spirit played at Audi Field once last season, "drawing a club-record 7,976 spectators." In returning to DC, the Spirit had to "weigh the benefits of playing in the hub of the metro area and potentially expanding its fan base with the cost of renting Audi Field and alienating suburban season ticket holders." Meanwhile, the Spirit announced "additional details" of local TV and live-streaming partnerships. The team said that all matches that "aren’t part of a national broadcast will be available on Monumental Sports Network, a digital pay-subscription service, and all but one of those matches will appear on NBC Sports Washington platforms." However, neither the Spirit nor the RSN have "determined how many matches will be shown live on the primary cable channel" (WASHINGTON POST, 4/5).
