NWSL draws private-equity interest as team valuations soar [Video]

Women’s soccer is bringing private equity off the sidelines.

While other major U.S. sports leagues – Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League – have allowed private equity investors to take passive, minority stakes, only the National Women’s Soccer League has allowed these firms to take majority control of the economics. 

“We really see institutional capital as a way to really infuse additional capital behind our assets,” Jessica Berman, commissioner of the NWSL, told CNBC in an interview. 

Sixth Street was the first to own a team in building out the San Francisco women’s team, Bay FC, last year. At the time, the firm paid a record $54 million for the league’s 14th franchise.

The second-ever such deal closed a few weeks ago, as Carlyle partnered with men’s team, the Seattle Sounders FC, to buy that city’s counterpart in the NWSL, the Reign FC. The transaction valued the Reign at $58 million – far beyond the $3.5 million it sold …