Seattle Reign get new owners

The Seattle Reign FC is poised to get new owners .

Driving the news: In partnership with the Seattle Sounders, the Carlyle Group, a global investment firm, has agreed to buy the Seattle Reign FC from France's OL Groupe for $58 million.

• It's Carlyle's first-ever pro sports team purchase.

The big picture: The National Women's Soccer League is at a turning point, with a new TV contract and rising interest in U.S. women's sports.

• Last year, only a few NWSL games were nationally televised. This year the number will be over 100, all with better production quality. But there's still plenty of room for additional commercialization.
• Now some early owners are seeking to cash out at a profit.

Zoom in: Last year, Megan Rapinoe 's final regular-season home game broke the NWSL attendance record — previously set by the San Diego Wave in 2022 — and also set a new streaming record.

• More than 34,000 people attended the Lumen Field game and 683,000 viewers tuned in, according to CBS Sports , making it the second most watched game in NWSL history, trailing only the 2022 NWSL championship.

What's next: The deal still requires league approval.

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