Baird brings high-profile experience to the NWSL from her time with the USOPC and NFLGETTY IMAGES
New NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird plans to work with U.S. Soccer to "build what is going to be the right partnership for the future" after being hired by the league on Thursday, according to Grant Wahl of SI.com. Baird fills the position that had been "vacant for three years" since Jeff Plush stepped down in '17. She comes to the NWSL after serving as CMO of WNYC-FM in N.Y., but also serving as USOPC CMO and NFL Senior VP/Marketing & Licensing. During her time with the USOPC, she began a relationship with U.S. Soccer, which will "continue its management of the NWSL for at least one more year." She said, "I worked with U.S. Soccer as a critically important [NGB] for 10 years, so I have a comfort level dealing with management there." Wahl noted Baird was initially contacted by Nolan Partners about the opening, and she indicated that the "more she learned about the job, the more convinced she became that she wanted it" (SI.com, 2/27). The AP's Eddie Pells noted the NWSL is "positioned to capture more cash and eyeballs" after the USWNT's World Cup win last summer. Baird during her time at the USOPC "cut about $1 billion worth of deals over nearly a decade and also rebranded the team to Team USA." While the NWSL "won't generate as much sponsorship, she's confident there are fundamentals she can bring from the Olympic world to women's soccer" (AP, 2/27).
