The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) has survived longer than any of the previous attempts at a women's professional soccer league. The first incarnation, the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) lasted for three seasons before falling into a financial abyss, spending between $50 and .100 million. Next came the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) which tried to control expenses, but had to shoulder the burden of paying the salaries of national team members. What makes the NWSL stand apart is that the American, Canadian and Mexican federations now taking the most expensive players off the league's balance sheet. These federations are paying for their respective national team players, not the league, which means that about a third of the roster is taken off the books of individual owners.

However, the league still has a long way to go. The recent controversy over the playing field in the Western New York Flash- Seattle Reign match last week has dealt the league a major blow to its credability.

Thus, here are some steps the league needs to take in order to secure its future:

Marketing

Secure a television deal

While this is the most obvious step to greater recognition, it is the most difficult to secure. While there is a deal with Fox Sports to broadcast six games this year, it is quite frankly not enough. If the league is going to survive and grow it needs more than a four game commitment. What the NWSL and Fox Sports need to do is begin a weekly show, highlight all that week’s action, the best goals and saves of the week and spotlight to player of the week as well some of the league’s top young players that do not play for the USWNT. For instance, most soccer fans do not know the extraordinary journey of the Portland Thorns’ forward Nadia Nadim or the incredible bond between Sky Blue FC midfielder Raquel Rodriguez and her father. Theirs and dozens of other stories are just waiting to be told. A weekly show would give these women a proper platform.

The next step would then do a game of the week live broadcast, and use Julie Foudy as the color analyst. Foudy has been the biggest cheerleader of the NWSL during USWNT matches, always taking the opportunity to talk how the league is crucial for women’s soccer and mention some of the lesser known national players to fans, thus she is the most natural candidate to take on such a role.

Market itself better

The league also needs to spend some money on advertising, although this may fall more to the individual franchises. For instance, very few people know that there is a professional women’s soccer team in New Jersey. Mention the Sky Blue FC to many casual soccer fans and a blank stare comes across their face. While marketing needs to be done in a smart, cost effective way, purchasing billboard space would not stretch finances for Sky Blue ownership. A thirty second commercial spot would not cost that much either. The Sky Blue boasts many marketable talents such as Christie Rampone, Kelley O’Hara, Sam Kerr, Sarah Killion and Raquel Rodriguez. Surely the Houston Dash, Portland Thorns, Orlando Pride and Seattle Reign can afford to secure commercial time on local television, each of those franchises have equally marketable faces such as Carli Lloyd, Nadia Nadim, Tobin Heath, Hope Solo and Alex Morgan. While the league needs to be financially smart, spending a few dollars on marketing itself to a broader audience would go a long way in growing the league.

Expand to viable markets

The league has a problem in Boston. The Boston Breakers are the worst team in the league both on the field and in the box office. While the Sky Blue average last in attendance, they have a far more talented side than Boston. It’s time the league either disbands or relocates Boston (or perhaps the Sky Blue) to a more soccer friendly market like North Carolina, which enjoys a rich soccer market due to the success of the Tar Heel soccer program (particularly the women). Charlotte has enjoyed an explosion in population and commerce and would make for a very enticing market should the league either relocate Boston or create an outright expansion team.

While the Western New York Flash has enjoyed a surprising season, placing a team in New York City would give the league a greater chance at securing a television deal. Perhaps a partnership with either the MLS’ Red Bulls or New York FC could lead to an expansion franchise for the Big Apple, although moving the Flash or Sky Blue is another option.

Finally, the league should look into further expansion on the West Coast, either in Los Angeles or San Jose. Much like Carolina, it too is a hotbed of soccer and much like a New York franchise could, a team in Los Angeles would likely help the NWSL gain a television deal, something that a woeful team in Boston cannot do. A Carolina, NYC and LA presence would give the league more sustainability long term.

Make a financial commitment

Pay the players

Certainly USA soccer is not hurting financially; especially if the women take home the gold in the upcoming Olympics. And while they do pay the salaries of the National team members, sinking a few hundred thousand more into (non USMWT) player salaries needs to be a priority. Currently, the average salary for an NWSL player is around $7,200 per year. Some cases it is even less. Many of the players take on a second or even third job during the year, either coaching a club team or taking on some other occupation to augment their ridiculously low salaries. Even the USWNT members had to bring a lawsuit against USA soccer to demand equal pay. It is criminal that these women who sacrifice just as much and have enjoyed far more success than their male counterparts do not enjoy equal pay. The minimum salary should be raised to at least $20,000 per year, with U.S. Soccer paying sixty to seventy percent (roughly $12,000-14,000) of the contract and individual ownership taking on the rest. Corporate sponsorship can also come into play, but the league has to be very careful with that and avoid fading into obscurity like the two previous women’s leagues.

The league also needs to upgrade player facilities and travel accommodations, as passionately expressed recently by Hope Solo in her blog post. The league is beginning to attract talent from around the world, thus it needs to furnish their franchises in better surroundings in order to become the best women’s league in the world, something the NWSL is quite capable of becoming.