The campaign gameplan
This is the first of three phases for the World Cup campaign. Once the tournament reaches knockout rounds, another series of content will be pushed. Then, once the team returns to the U.S., a third phase will roll out, highlighting that the players fans watched on a global stage can be watched right here in the U.S.
“I’m honored to be asked to participate in spreading the joy and brilliance of the players and teams in the NWSL,” Chastain said. “As co-founder of Bay FC, I look forward to our team competing amongst the greatest in 2024 when we first step onto the pitch.”
Chastain, who even the most casual of sports fans will remember from her iconic 1999 World Cup-winning penalty kick, is a co-founder of the new NWSL expansion team coming to the Bay area.
“It’s a little bit of an homage to the past and to the future,” Haddon said of Chastain’s narration. “It made sense to give a little wink to the core fan as we broaden and think about bridging generations of fans together.”
The best in the world
The spot is a continuation of the campaign launched by Haddon and her team in March alongside the beginning of the NWSL season. The idea was first born in 2019 when Haddon, still at the NFL as head of global brand and consumer marketing, attended the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.
“It made me become a fan, in that I saw the best in the world compete and did not know that there was an NWSL that you followed people like [Megan] Rapinoe and Alex Morgan,” said Haddon. “The whole lineup of the 20+ players make the NWSL their home, and that was the genesis of what ‘We Play Here’ became.”
The campaign doesn’t just highlight U.S. players, however. Out of the 32 nations competing for the title, 16 of those countries have representation inside the NWSL—60 players across 12 clubs.
“The product is the best in the world, and that’s what I think is going to benefit,” said Haddon. “The love that people have, globally being the No. 1 sport in the world, is going to open up the aperture to give us more of a chance to build our fanbase.”
Where it goes from here
The tournament approaches as women’s soccer is seeing unprecedented momentum across the country. In 2023, the NWSL reached record attendance numbers halfway through the season, up 48% over last year.