Since high school, Mary Frances and Lucie Lytle have attended Washington Spirit matches, making long drives every season from Northern Virginia to watch their National Women’s Soccer League team compete.
The pair of 27-year-olds have seen the Spirit grow from playing in the suburbs of Boyds, Maryland, to Loudoun County, Virginia, to its current home at D.C.’s Audi Field in Southwest. While watching some of the world’s best women’s soccer players is a draw, being part of a passionate fan base has kept Frances coming to matches.
“It’s just the community is incredible, and we love seeing all the growth and how many great fans there are,” Frances said.
Entering its 13th year in the NWSL, the Washington Spirit is seeing a surge in popularity following a magical playoff run in 2024. As the team opens league play Friday, Spirit officials tell WTOP they plan to use that growth to march forward with its long-term strategy of becoming a brand name in women’s sports.
“I want us to be the New York Yankees, the Dallas Cowboys of the NWSL, period,” Chief Executive Officer Kim Stone said.
She told WTOP that while her goals may come off as brash to some, it is a vision she shares with Michele Kang, the Spirit’s primary owner.
“I want to be a dynasty known for excellence on the pitch and off the pitch, and that takes a commitment to a high standard,” Stone said. “It takes investment. It takes being innovative and creative. And we have that with Michele.”
Last season, the Spirit had over 230,000 fans in attendance for matches, averaging 14,679 per home match. Those attendance figures were the fourth-best in the NWSL and the best from a non-West Coast team. In its playoff run, Washington sold out both its playoff matches, announcing over 19,000 in attendance for both matches.
Entering this year, Stone told WTOP its season ticket holder base is up by 98% compared to the start of the season last year. According to a Spirit spokesperson, it is the highest increase in year-over-year season ticket sales in the NWSL.
Part of that growth has stemmed from Washington’s playoff push last season. The Spirit finished the 2024 campaign in second place and won two playoff matches to earn a spot in the NWSL Championship.
That on-field success has translated off the field. Along with season ticket sales, Stone said Washington has seen a 20% increase in retail and merchandise sales and continued growth in social media engagement. The fandom can also be seen in public, where Miriam of D.C. said she finds more people wearing the team’s gear walking around the city.
“I think it’s been really fun to watch them over the last couple of years,” Miriam said. “Last year was so fun with all the younger players doing really well and so it’s gonna be really fun this year.”
Alongside the results on the field, Stone said the business side has focused more on the fan culture in sports to attract individuals who move to the D.C. region and adopt the Spirit as their NWSL team. Amabelis Monteagudo, of Alexandria, Virginia, had seen some Angel City matches in Los Angeles but instantly became a Spirit season ticket holder once she moved to the area.
“They’re living up to the hype,” Monteagudo told WTOP. “This is better.”
The team also remains focused on tapping into the D.C. region’s youth soccer community along with reaching out to international soccer fans. That push becomes easier with Washington’s current crop of stars, such as U.S. national team forward Trinity Rodman, along with new additions Colombian midfielder Leicy Santos and Mexican defender Rebeca Bernal.
“We just need to plug in and get them to understand that we have the best women’s international players right here in D.C., and you can come to see them,” Stone said.
Washington plans to implement new strategies to bring new fans to matches while pleasing its current supporters. The team will release new gear at every home match to create a sense of “missing out,” a strategy Stone said worked during her time working with the NBA’s Miami Heat.
The Spirit’s three Friday matches will also have theming for young adults looking for a good night out before starting their weekend. All in the hopes of keeping the “Rowdy Audi” packed.
“We have high standards,” Stone said. “We won’t rest until every single game is sold out.”
Season ticket holder Henri Makembe, of D.C., said while Washington is being successful at reaching out to newer fans, there is still more that can be done to engage in the community, including additional youth soccer clinics in the city and possible adult education for parents on the game.
“I feel like there’s a lot of folks whose kids play soccer but that don’t really understand it, the ins and outs of the game,” Makembe said.
Stone said that the results on the field will remain core to how its business side grows. However, conversations with general manager Mark Krikorian assure her that this year’s roster was better than last year’s. Washington has already won silverware, defeating Orlando in penalty kicks to win the Challenge Cup, the NWSL’s super cup to kick off the 2025 season.
Stone and fans hope it is a sign of more positives in the Spirit’s future.
“We’ll win the championship,” Makembe said with a smile. “Is there an alternative?”
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