Haslam Sports Group's deal to buy into NWSL for $205 million had a second commercial benefit for owners: It ensured the league would also see the full amount of the $165 million committed by billionaire Arthur Blank last year.

Blank's AMB Sports and Entertainment (AMBSE) bought an NWSL expansion team in November for a then-record $165 million fee. The agreement included a unique clause, never before reported, that would have reduced the total payment if the NWSL's 18th club did not command an expansion fee of least $200 million, according to five people familiar with the agreement.

Love all this from Uncle Arthur:

The Atlanta deal also included another shift in how the NWSL may approach expansion in the future. Part of AMBSE's fee was used to seed the NWSL Foundation, which the league said would aim to advance opportunities in women's sports. A portion of the Haslam Sports Group's commitment will also go to the foundation, sources said, which could become a consistent feature of any future league growth.