The sensational Katie Zelem moved to Angel City from Manchester United in a stunning move via free agency. She is a midfield dynamo looking to take Angel City to the promised land. However, she needed some convincing. Think of how the entire Barcelona team in the late 2000s endorsed Cesc Fàbregas to join them from Arsenal.

Some Barcelona players even donned their team jersey on Fabregas, while he played for Arsenal. Well, Angel City has Christen Press to thank for getting Zelem.

Often, players endorse other players to join their team to kick-start a challenge. With Press using her expertise in her ambassadorial duties for Angel City, Zelem comes with much fanfare. Well, she gave her flowers to Press!

Katie Zelem credits Christen Press for her move to the USA!

One of the key critical points Press put forward was the fan attendance. With women’s soccer receiving top attendances in Europe, the NWSL has witnessed a steady rise in numbers. Fans are coming out to support their teams in full flow. Therefore, Zelem mentioned one selling point owing to the rising number of fans in the stadium.

“Christen said to me was the match experiences are like no other. There’s 20,000 each game and the atmosphere and everything is crazy. I thought Christen is hard to please, so if she is saying that, it’s true,” stated Katie Zelem after a tweet from Kamran Nia, a soccer analyst. When most fans dubbed her to choose the better life in America, she described how she thought of only winning soccer matches! She just wants to win!

Yet, Press is quite true about the attendance numbers in the NWSL. The rise and popularity of the NWSL speak volumes about why players arrive in the US. Attendance numbers are soaring.

Attendance numbers soaring in the NWSL

According to a report by Athletic, the Chicago Red Stars had an attendance of 35,038 for one of their games in June. On the other hand, Angel City boasts an average attendance of 19,865 from 19,756 in 2023. That’s a 0.55% change showcasing how their fans love soccer. 9 out of the 12 teams that participated in the 2023 season have met or surpassed their average attendance from last year, as of July 5th.

In 2013, YouTube broadcasted NWSL games free on their platform with no subscription charges. They had a broadcast deal, which one might say was just there with no significant value. However, things have changed. They have signed a broadcast deal for 4 years worth $240 million and air around 118 games with studio shows by ESPN, CBS, and Amazon. It’s a different ball game altogether.

Therefore, Katie Zelem is excited to play in front of the crowds in America. She can fully utilize her expertise by leading Angel City to its first-ever trophy.