Inside Soccer
Inside Soccer
Episode 12 - NWSL Commissioner Baird. Join the Insiders.
NWSL Commissioner Baird joins Inside Soccer to discuss the NWSL Challenge Cup, new corporate partners, pandemic effects, and great competition from great players. So much covered in 30 minutes. Don't miss the NWSL Commissioner discuss one of the most competitive soccer leagues in the world.
Hello and welcome back. You're listening to another incredible episode of Inside soccer when your host bill Peterson inside soccer brings you a soccer fan expert analysis and opinion on the critical issues facing the game today. also bringing guests that have incredible stories and historical perspectives on the game with soccer experience batting 20 A Rolodex is open to bring you the voices and opinions you want. Sit back at wherever you are in the world. enjoy today's episode.
Unknown Speaker :Welcome inside soccer listeners from around the globe to inside soccer Episode 12. There's never been a better time to get inside our sport soccer so much going on across the globe that affects our little world. And that's what we're focused on like no other podcast. Today we continue our tradition of bringing you the best in the sport. We've turned our attention this week to our own domestic league nws That's right, the US domestic league featuring many of the best women's players in the world. The NW ESL is the premier Women's League in the world. And personally, I would consider it to be a Champions League, if you will of women's soccer. So it's very competitive, the best players and we're going to learn more and more about it as we go through this podcast. So many great stories to get inside of here. Maybe the biggest being that they're actually playing in competition, first and only ball sport playing meaningful games when they started, and, and much more to cover. So maybe the second biggest story of the league is the addition of Commissioner Lisa Barrett, a very successful sports executive who already has made a huge difference in the shape look and feel of NW ESL. Today we're honored to have our first acting commissioner on inside soccer. Commissioner Baird. Welcome and we're honored to have you here today.
Unknown Speaker :Well, thank you. It's a pleasure to be here and in addition to being you know, kind of have Done my rounds in sports. I'm actually a big podcast aficionado having worked in as at a top to top eight publisher of podcasts. So it's a great medium for me.
Unknown Speaker :I'm glad you waited to tell me that because now I feel pressure. I know I'm a rank amateur on episode 12. So afterwards, maybe you can download and tell us what we can do better, that's for sure.
Unknown Speaker :Okay, all right. So
Unknown Speaker :let's go ahead and get started. And first of all, congratulations on being the first league back on the field. It's been a tremendous competition so far, the npsl Challenge Cup as but the league on a pedestal by itself, which I think it deserves. And your challenge come to me is maybe the biggest sporting accomplishment and the biggest sporting story this year. Take us through the thinking and how you decided to move forward as the first league to open up.
Unknown Speaker :Well, you know, what it came down to was, like all other leagues. We canceled our preseason On on March 12, I think the the sport industry shut down that day. So, from then on, it was kind of trying to figure out if someone had a playbook. And then we realized no league had a playbook. So we wrote our own. It was guided by principle. And, you know, the principles really drove the selection of the tournament format. It drove our business objectives. It drove the support and conversations and collaboration in terms of agreement we had with the PA or nw slpa. And ultimately, it drove kind of what you're seeing on the field today with medical protocols, operations protocols, broadcast, so it just started in an area of like writing your own playbook and establish Shake your playbook on principles not on tactics.
Unknown Speaker :Well, congratulations on that. How did the players react to the idea of coming back and was being first a positive or something that caused any concern with the players?
Unknown Speaker :Um, I don't think the players were concerned about being first I think they were concerned as well. They should have been Do we have the medical protocols and phase and place? How is the tournament going to be done? It was far more driven by that rather than the players wanting to be first. I think the first is a nice outcome. And we've been trying to use it to our advantage to kind of get us the spotlight to show what we think is, you know, some of the best soccer you know, available today. And also to shine the light on women's sports which had been traditionally underrepresented in the media. They did they have been and here's a chance to watch Some of the best soccer players in the world in a great tournament with a with a easy way to consume it from broadcast. And, you know, that's what we're gonna read. That's why we're taking advantage of being number one.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, for sure, I do think you have captured a lot of attention that sometimes you deserve and don't get, but being first out, and actually playing meaningful games is meant a lot as far as I can see, you know, in the streets, if you will. So, congratulations on that. Let's step back just a second, you've accomplished a lot in your career. And I suppose you could have picked any organization to work for shows our listeners some of your background, and more importantly, why you chose to come to NW SL.
Unknown Speaker :I think, you know, it's with every job decision, you know, I made which is, look, is the outlook. Is there a way that I could make a contribution and I say that humbly because you know, look this is a small League, it's a growing league. And could there be a contribution that me as the commissioner would make, and I think having the opportunity to meet all the owners and share a vision of what I thought was exciting about it is clearly, you know, kind of it really cemented that for me, in some ways, it's a dream job for me, pandemic aside, because, you know, the fact is, we're small, we're growing, we have a great product, we have a enormously exciting global landscape in front of us in the US. So all those components were there, and then the pandemic kit, and sometimes kind of crises or or, you know, unexpected things can turn into a Silver Line opportunity. And that is to kind of demonstrate to the world how great our product is and how great our players are, that's been an unintended consequence of the pandemic. I think, you know, worldwide people are rooting for sports to come back. They're rooting for women's sports. You know, in particular, they're rooting for these athletes, particularly the national team members from all the countries that didn't have a chance to play in the Olympics. And, and I think we're seeing that by a level of, you know, coverage and engagement that we haven't had before. But again, it's nowhere near what women's sports deserve, I think, for being, you know, great, great live competition to watch.
Unknown Speaker :And specifically, and we're going to talk a little bit about your accomplishments already next, but specifically, what did you see as quick opportunities before the pandemic, if you will, to change the course of the league?
Unknown Speaker :Well, I think taking advantage of the unique asset we have which you know, having players I think We have something like over 50 players from national teams. So they're playing in our league because they're getting the development, the training and the support. They're, they're making that choice. But then they also go and play in highly visible global competitions, CONCACAF and others, and certainly the Women's World Cup. So having that is a really great asset as long as you can manage it. Well, um, which is, you know, it's definitely more complicated competition schedule to manage. So that's important. I think having a growth opportunity in the US. I think we're in you know, some of the greatest soccer, soccer markets in the us right now. And you can look at, you know, they're not necessarily a largest market. I think Portland, for example, isn't a phenomenal soccer market. We have an avid engaged fan base, and that's really important. But we we also are developing that larger markets like Chicago with the red stars, everything that they've been doing. Since they've come along, and we're excited about new markets, to our portfolio,
Unknown Speaker :it does seem to be a lot of excitement in Louisville, that's for sure. Last 24 hours.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, I mean, that brand launch was incredible. And I I could I mean, I was just on the phone with the, with the Louisville President bredis. This this morning, and I went, Wow, the level of coverage that we got for the Louisville brand launch was extraordinary. And, you know, I think it goes to this pent up appetite for Okay, this is a great product. These are great athletes, let me consume it just like any other sport. But the fact is, we've got to get the coverage of mainstream media up. And that's partially on me and other commissioners and women's sport, and it's also on the broadcasters and the media themselves to ask themselves the question, why aren't they covering this?
Unknown Speaker :Well, you sort of asked that a week or two ago and I thought was a great question a great time. I don't I don't know if you got the answer. You should have but, you know, when they started collecting the men's sports to talk about what they were going to do, it seemed a little odd that with you guys teed up ready to go and the position you're in that you weren't invited, but you know, I'm gonna I'm gonna stay out of that a little bit. Let's, let's move on a second to what you have been able to accomplish, which is extraordinary, really, during a pandemic, you've added a list of sponsors and broadcast partners to the league. I mean, how do you do that?
Unknown Speaker :Well, you know, I think the, I think the advantage of always used in commercial is to try and think of our property and our athletes. How do we help them and I know you know, when you go in and if you're a really big league and you've got a really, you know, already sizable audience. It's it's easier to start ways because you can say, look, here's what you'll do for me if you come in, like I see a lot of people saying, oh, here's what you do, but I have to be smarter and and more ambitious than that and say, How can I help you achieve your business objectives? So understanding, you know, p&g and their desire to reach women, their desire to portray a company that values diversity, inclusion, but also reach a scale audience there, they sell their big global advertiser because their products are in every home in the world, I think. So how do I help them do that? That's a business objective. Same thing with Verizon, how are we going to help them extend what they need to do as a you know, as the premier communications company in the United States Budweiser? How do we help them achieve their objectives? So I think it's really asking yourself and pushing yourself to do that. That's the secret of what we need to do to get premiere partners with CBS and Which I think it's somewhat easier because I think both of them realize the opportunity with women's soccer they saw, you know what happened last year with Women's World Cup and the momentum that was built in. So in some ways, it's easier. And now it's delivering on the whole proposition with them. So it's really executing right now. And I think our, our coverage in the US and in Canada with CBS has been great. But I also think it will tell the story how the international audience is consuming our Twitch. You know, particularly with the live postgame interviews, it's really exciting.
Unknown Speaker :That's fantastic. And I love the approach and I only speak for the American players, but that is a group of athletes, professionals that you really do trust. I mean, if they show up on on on camera one, they're winners. So you know, they're winners, and they've just, they've just always handled themselves so well. And it's exciting for someone like myself, and I'm sure a lot of our listeners also think about you know, all of the hundreds of players that are being developed underneath that group, because of this league and because of the comp, the competitive level the league, it really it really bodes itself for some spectacular soccer over the next decade or so.
Unknown Speaker :Yep, I think it does. I mean, you know, the more of the best global players we can attract, the better off we are.
Unknown Speaker :Yep. Okay, so the elephant in the room is a pandemic. And, you know, I think we've publicly seen some of how your plans in the short term have changed with your experience and being at the helm here. What are you concerned about longer term that might affect the league or affect some of your plans that are in place now?
Unknown Speaker :Well, I think like, you know, there's always a move in sports, which is what's next what's next. So while you're working on this today, we're starting to look at, you know, kind of what do we do next, and that's not only in 2020, but 2021. And I think there is going to be an adjustment by every sport to how do you put in place on a regular normal season the protocols that we need to do to protect player safety? And that's going to go into 21. And until such time as there's a vaccine or a cure, and I certainly don't know what that is, how do you normalize operations? It's a really difficult question. It's just a difficult question. You know, different states are going to have different rules and guidelines and quarantines and, you know, fans coming back and all that as we look at, you know, the longer term and, and that's really, really, like, it's challenging to operate in that environment. It's challenging, and you have international players coming into the league and they want to go home and there's travel restrictions. Those I don't think you're going to go away in the short term. So how do we develop around that?
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, and younger leagues, generally. We'll focus a lot on ticket sales, sometimes I think wrongfully in the media will focus on it. And they're judging success by how many people are in each and every stadium. But it is important, obviously, to have an audience and we're facing a situation where leagues and teams on the men's side and yourselves are playing without fans in the stadium. How How does that affect your thinking? I guess when you start wondering if this will continue, how does that affect your thinking and the club's thinking from, you know, we're all about ticket sales. You know, ticket sales is 123. And then, you know, we worry about sponsorship, then we worry about some other things. Now, all of a sudden, that's flipped a little bit. It's gonna be really important to deliver a great TV product. I'm sure it's great to deliver on these new sponsors. But what are you thinking personally, and what are you telling your teams they need to do to sort of rethink the The short term and possibly longer term future
Unknown Speaker :Well, you know, I think it's all learning and and experimenting with what's right. So there's two things that as we went into this tournament knowing it was going to be in a bubble and knowing that we weren't. We didn't have the protocols yet for fans. It was how do we make sure that our clubs are getting recognition for their local sponsors and take advantage of the national audience that we have. So we came up with a very innovative plan for the signage in the stadium and one of the one of the really great consequences of it is that our stadium doesn't look empty. You know, it doesn't look empty. It's not 100,000 seat stadium we chose to stay small and play at science bank and the signage looks great on on TV so you can start to think of things in a different way. Then that will be you know, there's going to be you know, a forward time when you have stadiums, but they They only allow fans that are safe distancing? Well, what does that do to both your onstage experience as well as your TV experience? So these are all things that everybody in sports is, is learning and listening and starting to wrap their minds around as a new way of, of normal, you know, things like even you know, I'm watching what's happening in social media, do people like the artificial crowd noise? Or do people not like it? And right now, it's, you know, you have to do one or the other Well, is there going to be ability going forward with broadcasters to turn it on or off based on your preference? You know, if I was, if I was a big broadcaster, I'd be looking at something like that technologically, through how they deliver their sports games, because there's definitely a conversation about it. So I think we're all adjusting to this new kind of abnormal or new, normal, whatever you want to call it. And I am doing we're doing our own experiments with the secret virtual watch parties, I have to say I'm in stadium because I'm in the bubble and I'm watching the teams. But it just makes me feel better when I can look up on our big screen and see the secret virtual parties because it reminds me of the fans at home and without fans, whether they're in stadium or at home, there's no sports. There are no sports without fans. So, like for me, and I don't know if the players on the field are seeing the fans, but just having those reactions, even if they're virtual help. So I think we're all gonna learn about that. And I'm following not only what we're doing, but I'm also seeing what other people are doing and how they're transforming the broadcast. So we'll learn that for 21 season for sure.
Unknown Speaker :It's gonna be a you know, we talked to Sky Blue and some of their ownership or they're in a week and then you start thinking about how long it's off so
Unknown Speaker :make sure you talk to them today after their when
Unknown Speaker :I sent him a note.
Unknown Speaker :He responded very early this morning. Mountain Time and was very excited. Yes. So
Unknown Speaker :yeah, he was up late last night. Yes. Pretty exciting. Yeah.
Unknown Speaker :It really was because off the off the mic, we talked about it a little bit and, you know, he knew is a big news a big match and he was nervous, I'd say and the result came out his way this time, so good for him. But, you know, we spoke about the offseason being also something a little bit new and being so long, and trying to figure out how to engage, you know, the fans through this period of time, that will almost be you know, a continuous 18 months minimum, I guess, of time off. And he talked a lot about, you know, the front office really sort of redefining their roles and everybody from coaches and assistant coaches to you know, PR and ticket sales everybody now sort of outward facing fan facing and working on engagement, tactics and activities. Is that is that what You're what you're expecting to see across the league?
Unknown Speaker :Well, yes, I think that, look, when you're small, you're scrappy. And you're more creative, and you're more, you know, you just you worry about the details. And you're really, you know, you're really just excited about it. So I love to see all the different things our teams are doing. To keep our brand their teams or athletes relevant. I think, you know, we have we're really lucky and that we have a good competition committee. That helps us make sure that the game and our version of the game and our rules and our regulations are advancing as we grow because we're growing, right? So we've got to invent new rules, Louisville coming in and what do we do with our expansion? Those are all the things that are ongoing now. So I love the fact that we have a small enough league where we can look across an innovation wave all the time and learn from each other. But I also know that you know, at some point, we've got to get to stability in terms of rules and regulations. But luckily, it's a few years away, but but solving the schedule and whether it should be longer and fill some of that is is a, I think it's a conversation we're having for next season next season.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah. Yeah, you're right. It's something has to be developed. Okay. So let's switch our attention to the players. And I know, you haven't been there too long. But I know you've probably watched and followed games throughout the years. I mean, I, I live in a house full of women other than one dog. And I think they've been to probably more Women's World Cups and more women's matches. And then I have, and my youngest daughter has been playing soccer for a long time, eight or nine years, I think. And so, you know, the women's game means something to us, I guess is my point. And I really as a person who's, you know, evaluated players in different sports and done different things. When I watch them. I'm always just blown away with one how talented they are. I was shocked early on to see how tough they are. And, you know, and they've just they've just always come together and got the job done. What was your reaction coming in as commissioner and seeing them play for the first time?
Unknown Speaker :You know, it was like, first of all, I was so worried because we were, you know, we had a short we had a, you know, a shortened preseason because COVID they're coming in there, they're training at home, they're gonna fly in. You know, we had all of the nervousness and apprehension of putting into place medical protocols. I think we have some of the best minds developing doctors, but let's face it, they were unproven. This wasn't something so we had so for the first week, I was far more concerned about health. Safety getting people acclimated. I think the players, now you can see them really just developing into the game getting in the rhythm. And, you know, I think we're starting to see the level of intensity competitiveness, pick up between teams and some prizes, some surprises along the way. So I think that's fun to watch. And I'm just, I'm excited to see what happens between right now they know that seeds are important. They're playing for that seed. But I think the difference that we're going to see, just in terms of the competitive intensity between the group play in the first round, the first quarter finals is going to be really exciting.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, absolutely. And did you feel they reacted positively to your hiring and you coming in and sharing your message with them?
Unknown Speaker :Um, look, I certainly felt they were open to it. I'm not a known entity in the Soccer World. So I think if you know, I can't You know, I don't think I felt anything negative but feel like okay, you know, let's see what she does. And I think that's a very fair assessment from the players. I think the owners knew I had a strong commercial background, but, you know, can I impact the game of soccer? Will we be able to do things here to develop this into the best league in the world? Those are things that if I were a player be saying, okay, what's your investment long term in the sport in my development, that that's what I would look at. And I still think, look, please don't judge me by one tournament in a pandemic. Those are long term thoughtful things that we really need to get to and myself and my operations team led by you know, the incredibly capable Liz Dalton are we're going to tackle that so that that's really how I should be judged. Not on an on on a tournament, I hope. Yeah, but I do hope to get through it safely. And well.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, well, so far, knock on wood. I think that's a great perspective that you would have my vote if I was sitting in the locker room. So maybe I know a little bit more about what you've accomplished than than they do at this time. But they'll they'll soon know. So one of the questions in both the men's side and the women's side has always been you know, about the player pool. And I know this is not something you probably focused on in day one, especially this year. But is there a concern amongst your technical people or your owners that if we continue to expand, we could hurt the quality of the game because of the size or the the quality of the player pool?
Unknown Speaker :Well, look, that's why we have you know what, that's why we have an incredible competition Committee, which is that like, if you look at committees, in terms of read governance, having strong discipline committees in the right areas is really important. Arguably, right? Now, because we are in growth, the competition Committee, which has representatives right now from fourteens plus Liz Dalton, they are going to help us really wrestle with what's the right way to do that. And that goes to, you know, expansion. What's the role of the draft? How do we continue to attract and retain global players? What's our, what's our access point for youth players? Those are all things where I need seasoned, very experienced executives, and I'm lucky to have them in the competition Committee, which includes, you know, the president of oil, Rainbow pridemore, Gavin Wilkinson, who's from Portland, Kurt Johnson from North Carolina and Stephanie Lee from Utah. So that's where those discussions are happening and, and I couldn't be in better hands.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, I know a few of the people you just mentioned and it just it brings a thought to my head that there really are a lot of talented people across Oh, and it'll have a lot of experience and passion for it isn't there?
Unknown Speaker :Yes. And I'm taking advantage of every single bit of that. I lean very heavily on people with operations experience with knowledge of the game. It's really lucky. I'm lucky to have the diversity of ownership we have because I'm always asking questions of our owners with USL teams and asking questions of owners with MLS teams. I get on the phone regularly with Sophie sivaji, who's our lead owner from Olympic Lynette Lyonnais is because there's, there's things that we can learn from Europe. So those are that's the network that I want to build to be a much more well rounded Commissioner, and I'm leaning on them hard.
Unknown Speaker :That's great. And it is I think it's worth a quick note that you know, it's it's nice, it's it's exciting to see the rest of the world started. To develop women's soccer, I'm sure you know that creates a little bit of competition for players at some point, but I think overall, you're going to see more attention, more dollars more quality play. I mean, I lived in Europe for 10 years. And if you mentioned women's soccer in the 90s, you got a chuckle you could you could just about guarantee it. And now you know, the top clubs are starting to commit to those women's programs and, and more and more women are getting a chance to play that's that's got to be good for everyone.
Unknown Speaker :Oh, it is it is and I you know, me being able to access FIFA has put together like an informal Council of the professional women's leagues. And I think that that's going to be a great peer group for me through FIFA because I want to talk to those professional women's leagues. And we just had our first meeting a couple weeks ago and we're already sharing things sharing a lot of sharing a lot of ideas and we'll be sharing data and stuff as we all are committed to take robotics game to the next level.
Unknown Speaker :Fantastic. Look, two more questions. We ask these of everyone. What do you What does or will end the VSL do better than others in your mind once you get through pandemic time?
Unknown Speaker :Um, well, I think, you know, look, there's no doubt that the end of DSL could benefit from the fact that the United States is a very mature and sophisticated sports market. We will take advantage of that. So there it's just an enormously big market and what we want to do I think what we'll do is, you know, I want to go in and talk to commercial partners, whether they're broadcasters or promotional partners or sponsors about how and to VSL is additive to your sports portfolio. How do we add to it and I think that's, that's something that we can Take advantage of that, you know, number two is, and I said it again, but I want to be the best league in the world. And you know what, I think we're well on our way there. And that's, you know, friendly talk with all the rest of the rest of the heads of leagues in Europe. But I've got to do a job to continue to support the development of Women's Professional Soccer, like, you know, around high performance, nutrition. How do we manage the holistic health and career of a player? How do we provide we work with owners to provide incredible facilities? I mean, one of the things that's really nice for us right here as you're getting an inside view, watching the broadcasts of the facilities deploy Hanson has built for the Utah Royals in Salt Lake City with Academy. Yeah, I mean, they're phenomenal. They're hosted we're hosting a whole tournament here. And, and it's one of our owners, like, Wow, what a great ad for league. Right, this is one of our owners, and we're able to host an entire tournament here. Well, that's the kind of message that I want to people around the world that are watching what's going on right now.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, that's a great message. And it's, you know, sharing those investments by the owners is it will just continue to snowball. I mean, it's like when, when the the male sports went to free agency, and everybody had to start really building facilities. You know, it helps everything and helps everything from player development to recruiting of players to kids dreaming of, you know, I want to I want to be there, I want to I want to practice Yeah, at that facility or go to that Academy or play for that team in Utah, whatever it may be. So those are all those are all very much positives, and, you know, you have to appreciate the investment they make. So final question. Is there anything we haven't asked you that you'd like to share with our listeners or feel that we should We should add to the list.
Unknown Speaker :Ya know, I'd love to hear feedback if you can. So it's not so much that I'd love to add. It's just like, make sure your listeners are sending you and you get back to us and we're also this is a dialogue so it's not just me talking I want to hear back from listeners and fans. You know what, what do I need to be focused on to build the excitement for the game, the passion and the coverage? So anything that you can tell me would be I you have a commissioner with open ears?
Unknown Speaker :Absolutely will do that. Lisa, thank you very much. I think the future is very bright for NW SL even under these trying conditions the the focus and the effort on the field and off the field is is really exciting to watch and something I think we should all be very proud of and fortunate that we have this league in our country and I urge everyone to support it. best they can. I know our listeners will be following And watching closely and we wish you a lot of success and again, during a very, very busy time, we do appreciate your time Commissioner for joining us today and we look forward to talking to you again sometime down the future.
Unknown Speaker :Okay, thanks so much. Take care.
Unknown Speaker :Thank you. And inside fogger soccer fans, that's 12 episodes but we're not done yet. Be sure to catch all the past episodes, which can be found on most podcast platforms or www inside top sports COMM And until next time, everyone take care. Thank you.