The NWSL is keeping the momentum rolling, and Houston Dash just turned up the heat! Sunday’s showdown at SeatGeek Stadium saw the Dash claw their way to a comeback win over Chicago Stars FC—marking their first W of the 2025 season and the first under head coach Fabrice Gautrat. Paige Nielsen wasted no time leveling the score after Chicago’s Jameese Joseph found the net first. Off a corner kick, Nielsen pounced on the ball and smashed it home. Then, in the 64th minute, Maggie Graham, fresh off another strong performance, slotted in the game-winner from a slick Delanie Sheehan setup.

With Jane Campbell making five crucial saves, Houston walked away victorious, proving they’re here to shake things up. But while Dash fans were celebrating, NWSL supporters as a whole? Oh, they had a bone to pick—and ESPN was at the center of it. A broadcasting hiccup caused a frustrating delay, leaving viewers fuming instead of fired up for the action.

NWSL broadcasting faces a delay!

The NWSL’s official account took to X on March 23 to drop a little scheduling curveball, posting, “Due to potential runover of the current programming on ESPN2, tonight’s contest between Gotham FC and the Orlando Pride will now kick off at 5:13 p.m. ET. Match coverage will begin on ESPNews at 5:05 p.m ET.” But let’s be real—fans weren’t exactly throwing confetti over that announcement. Instead of gearing up for a smooth kickoff, viewers were left rolling their eyes and blowing up social media with frustration.

One fan didn’t hold back, venting on X, “one of the most exciting games and this what we get greatttt.” And honestly? They’ve got a point. Sunday’s showdown between NJ/NY Gotham FC and Orlando Pride wasn’t just another game—it was the grand finale of the NWSL’s second matchday, wrapping up an already electric weekend of action.

Gotham FC was coming in fresh off a 1-1 draw with Seattle Reign, where Gabi Portilho lit up the scoreboard in the 47th minute before Seattle clawed back in the 71st. Meanwhile, Orlando Pride was entering the match flexing their dominance after a 6-0 thrashing of Chicago, with Haley Hanson striking gold in the seventh minute and Ally Watt doubling the lead before halftime. Historically, Gotham holds the upper hand in their last 10 battles, leading the series with five wins to Orlando’s two. But with fans fuming over the broadcast fiasco, the real battle might just be off the field. But this was just the beginning!

Fans furious over the hiccup!

Another fan jumped in, saying, “Appreciate the info/update. Was literally cussing out ESPN in living room thinking I was missing the start of the game.” All eyes were locked on the Chicago vs. Houston showdown, as both teams were on the hunt for their first points of the 2025 NWSL regular season. The Houston Dash hit the road, storming into SeatGeek Stadium, determined to snap their losing streak against the Chicago Stars FC. The Stars had history on their side, boasting four straight wins over Houston—each with a clean sheet. If they pulled off a fifth, they’d etch their names in NWSL history with the first-ever five-game shutout streak against a single opponent.

But the Dash had other plans. Houston flipped the script, taking control and breaking Chicago’s hold over them. With one thrilling matchup already in the books, fans were ready to cap off their weekend with another banger. The stage was set, the anticipation was real, and then… crickets. So yeah, frustration hit hard, and they summed it up perfectly: “STILL not on.”

Another fan also let their frustration spill out. They wrote, “and we missed a goal i hate you so bad espn,” perhaps referring to Lilly Reale’s own goal that sent the Pride ahead within the first couple of minutes. Later, in the stoppage time of the second half, Pride’s captain Marta scored the 43rd goal of her career—a club record—while Anna Moorhouse recorded her second straight clean sheet. Great material for an NWSL trivia, right? Want another piece of trivia? This wasn’t the first Orlando Pride game this year that had broadcast issues.

A few days ago, the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup kicked off with fireworks, as the Washington Spirit rolled into Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, ready to settle scores with their longtime rivals, the Orlando Pride. But instead of edge-of-your-seat action, viewers at home were hit with the ultimate betrayal—not from the teams, not from the refs, but from Prime Video, the very platform airing the game.

Just as things were heating up on the pitch, Prime Video decided it was the perfect moment to conduct an interview with one of Orlando Pride’s owners—right by the dugout. Now, normally, fans wouldn’t mind a quick chat with the brains behind the 2024 NWSL Shield and Championship winners. But the real kicker? The interview got prime real estate on the screen while the actual game—y’know, the reason people tuned in—got shoved into a tiny corner. This time it was a different broadcaster but a similar story. So the frustration knew no bounds as another fan wrote, “@espn SUCKS.”