Trailblazing New Series “Groundwork With Aly Wagner” To Debut On CBS Sports Network This Wednesday, September 21

Providing fans with inside access and behind the scenes coverage of NWSL players on and off the pitch, “Groundwork with Aly Wagner” will immerse viewers into the NWSL and highlight some of the league’s most exciting players and storylines, including Portland Thorns FC & U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Midfielder Crystal Dunn, Kansas City Current Midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta, and Angel City FC Midfielder Savannah McCaskill. Additionally, Wagner will interview influential team and league executives including Angel City FC Co-Founder and President Julie Uhrman, San Diego Wave FC President Jill Ellis, and Kansas City Current co- owner Chris Long.

“The NWSL is one of the most exciting leagues in professional sports, and fans of women’s soccer around the world are always in search of additional coverage of the sport and their favorite teams and players,” said Wagner. “I’m thrilled to work with the NWSL, CBS Sports, Mastercard and Octagon to launch this incredible series and use the platform to continue to shine a spotlight on the amazingly talented athletes in the league, help fans learn more about the players and teams, and hopefully bring fans closer to the sport than ever before.”

“We’re so excited to team up with CBS Sports, Mastercard and Octagon to give fans an inside look into the world of professional soccer,” said Executive Producer of NWSL Media Brian Gordon. “The NWSL is made up of extraordinary players and teams with stories that deserve to be shared. We look forward to connecting fans of the league and sports lovers alike to those trailblazers and their stories with this series.”

“Women’s soccer and the NWSL are more popular than ever, and both fans and sponsors are constantly looking for more content surrounding women’s sports,” said Jason Weichelt, Vice President Content and Development, Octagon. “An original television series like this has never been done before on the league and its players. By providing such unprecedented access, Aly and ‘Groundwork’ will offer a unique lens that will in turn allow viewers to learn about and connect with players in new ways, and no doubt only continue to fuel the massive growth of the NWSL.”

“Mastercard is thrilled to support this first-of-its-kind series that gives NWSL fans and sports enthusiasts unmatched access and coverage of the league and its players, on and off the pitch, said Alison Giordano, Vice President, Global Sponsorships and Consumer Marketing, Mastercard. “We couldn’t be more pleased to work with CBS Sports, NWSL, Octagon and the extraordinary trailblazer Aly Wagner to bring this passion project to life.”

A two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup veteran, Wagner competed for the United States Women’s National Soccer Team for nearly a decade and is one of the most respected players and voices in the sport. In addition to her current role with CBS Sports, Wagner led extensive on-air coverage of the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France, and made history during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, when she became the first woman to call a men’s FIFA World Cup match. Wagner has also served as a soccer analyst for coverage of the Olympics, and was the primary analyst for Lifetime during the 2022 NWSL Draft.

Octagon developed Mastercard’s comprehensive presenting sponsorship of “Groundwork”. As part of the sponsorship, each episode of “Groundwork” will include a segment from Mastercard’s “Inside the Game” series, also hosted by Wagner, which recently debuted across the NWSL’s digital channels.

ABOUT NWSL

Established in 2012, The National Women’s Soccer League is the premier women’s professional soccer league in the world featuring national team players from around the globe. Beginning play in 2013 with eight original clubs, the league has since expanded to feature 12 teams, including Angel City FC, Chicago Red Stars, Houston Dash, Kansas City Current, NJ/NY Gotham FC, North Carolina Courage, OL Reign, Orlando Pride, Portland Thorns FC, Racing Louisville FC, San Diego Wave FC, and Washington Spirit.

ABOUT CBS SPORTS

CBS Sports, a year-round leader in cross-platform sports coverage, broadcasts a portfolio of events on the CBS Television Network, including THE NFL ON CBS; college football, including the SEC ON CBS; college basketball, including the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship; golf, including The Masters®, PGA Championship and PGA TOUR; soccer, including the UEFA Champions League and NWSL; and CBS SPORTS SPECTACULAR. In addition, the division includes CBS SPORTS NETWORK, the 24-hour cable home of CBS Sports which televises live sports programming throughout the year, including college football and basketball games, UEFA Champions League and Europa League action, Italy’s Serie A matches, Concacaf national team competitions, as well as a full slate of original programming and studio coverage. CBS Sports also delivers an extensive lineup of global soccer coverage on Paramount+, including every UEFA club competition match, all Serie A matches as well as Concacaf national team competitions, and produces INSIDE THE NFL for Paramount+. CBS Sports Digital’s multi-platform offerings include CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports apps for mobile and connected TV devices; the 24/7 streaming sports news network CBS Sports HQ; 247Sports; MaxPreps; CBS Sports fantasy games; and SportsLine.

ABOUT OCTAGON

Octagon is the preeminent talent management, integrated marketing, and creative agency in global sports and entertainment. The agency creates distinctive marketing campaigns for some of the largest brands and Fortune 500 companies across the globe and represents more than 900 of the most prominent and influential athletes, talent, and properties in the world. With more than 1,000 employees worldwide, based in 50 offices, in 20 countries, Octagon is positioned in virtually all areas of sports and entertainment.