Mayor Joe Hogsett says Indy 'would be well-served' to have both men's, women's pro soccer

COLUMBUS, Ohio — As Indianapolis works toward applying for an MLS expansion club , there have also been discussions regarding the possibility of adding a professional women’s soccer team.

Addressing local media at Lower.com Field on Tuesday night, mayor Joe Hogsett said there have been conversations, but no decisions have been made.

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“I think there is a compelling reason why Indianapolis would be well-served by both a professional MLS men’s team and a professional women’s league team, but those are decisions the ownership group would have to make.”

Indianapolis’ current women’s team, Indy Eleven, launched in 2022 as part of the USL W League, a 65-team pre-professional league which began the same year.

Hogsett did not provide any specifics, but there are currently two professional women’s soccer leagues: National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and USL Super League.

The NWSL began as an eight-team league in 2013 and has since expanded to 14, with a 15th team (Boston) slated to begin play in 2026. NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman told ESPN’s Jeff Kassouf in April the league is “comfortably on track” to choose the location and ownership group for its 16th team at “the beginning of Q4.”

NWSL franchise valuations have risen sharply in recent years, which will undoubtedly drive expansion fees. Bay FC (San Francisco) and Boston paid $53 million, more than 10 times what previous expansion teams paid to enter the league.

The USL Super League is scheduled to kick off in August 2024 and will feature eight teams in its inaugural season. The USL Super League is committed to U.S. Soccer’s Division One standards and will play the fall-to-summer soccer calendar similar to other leagues.

The USL Super League is at the top of the USL youth-to-pro pathway, preceded by the USL W League, USL Academy and USL Youth.

Hogsett noted he is involved with the ownership group, but added: “I would certainly encourage that both men and women be well-represented in soccer, as they are now at the USL level with the Indy Eleven and the women’s team.”

Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen .

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Mayor Joe Hogsett says Indy 'would be well-served' to have both men's, women's pro soccer