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Washington Spirit history
Washington Spirit company history timeline
The foundation of the National Women's Soccer League was announced on November 21, 2012, with Washington selected as a host for one of the eight teams selected for the inaugural season.
In December 2012, the team's name was announced as the Washington Spirit.
The Spirit played their first competitive match on April 14, 2013, drawing Boston Breakers 1–1 with Tiffany McCarty scoring the team's first goal assisted by Stephanie Ochs.
After a poor inaugural season, the Spirit would much improve in the 2014 making some key acquisitions including Jodie Taylor and Christine Nairn, both who would finish as the team's tops scorers with 11 and 8 goals, respectively.
The Spirit finished the 2015 season with a record of 8–6–6 and repeating their 4th place league position.
The Spirit had their most successful season to date in 2016, being league leaders in the standings throughout most of the season.
In the aftermath of finishing 2016 runners-up, the Spirit saw a series of key departures including captain Ali Krieger (traded to Orlando Pride), Christine Nairn and Diana Matheson (both traded to Seattle Reign), and Crystal Dunn leaving for Chelsea, while retaining her contracting rights.
Unable to adequately replace these players, the Spirit struggled to compete throughout the 2017 season ultimately finishing last (10th) for the first time since the inaugural season.
The 2018 season continued the Spirit's pursuit of young talent, but also continued the struggle for results.
They ultimately finished 5th in the 2019 NWSL standings.
The 2019 season also featured major changes on the field; fifteen new players were added to the Spirit roster including Australian national team members Chloe Logarzo and Amy Harrison.
On October 14, 2021 the Washington Post reported that Steve Baldwin had announced to club investors that he intended to sell the club.
The Spirit won their first NWSL Championship on Saturday November 20, 2021 when they defeated the Chicago Red Stars, 2–1 in extra-time at Lynnn Family Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky.
On December 20, 2021, the Spirit announced that interim head coach Kris Ward would become the team's permanent head coach.
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Washington Spirit competitors
| Company name | Founded date | Revenue | Employee size | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D.C. United | 1994 | $12.0M | 308 | 7 |
| Chicago Red Stars | 2006 | $5.8M | 66 | - |
| New York Islanders | - | - | - | 6 |
| Real Salt Lake | 2004 | $8.9M | 233 | 8 |
| Harrisburg Senators | 1987 | $3.3M | 49 | - |
| Washington Wild Things | 2002 | $2.2M | 49 | - |
| Manchester Monarchs | 2001 | $4.1M | 42 | - |
| Wilmington Blue Rocks | 1993 | $3.1M | 50 | - |
| Florida Panthers | 1993 | $13.0M | 356 | 61 |
| Monumental Sports & Entertainment | 1997 | $63.5M | 52 | 42 |
Washington Spirit history FAQs
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