Scott Pioli on Why He’s Investing in Boston’s New NWSL Team

The 75-year-old White Stadium is being renovated and will add seating, bringing its capacity to 11,000 when Boston resumes games in 2026.Thanks to NWSL Boston

There’s nothing quite like being part of a championship team in Boston. Winning three Super Bowls with the Patriots was a life-changing experience for me and my family, but the aspect of those championships that still makes me shudder is the sense of massive joy I experienced as I rode the Duck Boats through downtown, surrounded by hundreds of thousands of passionate fans. You quickly understand the profound effect a professional sports team can have on its community.

Being part of an organization that can create a positive impact is one of the reasons my wife, Dallas, and I decided to become investors in Boston Unity Soccer Partners, which is bringing world-class professional women’s soccer back to Boston in 2026. While winning the NWSL Championship trophy is the ultimate goal on the field, we wanted to be part of an organization that is laser-focused on making a meaningful difference in the neighborhoods surrounding White Stadium’s home field, while also providing inspiration and strong female role models for local girls and women.

While I’m known for building NFL rosters that are adept at finding success on the field, I’ve also always maintained a focus on gender equality and done everything I can to create openings and opportunities for women in sports. Many assume this has to do with our daughter, Mia, who loves sports, was a standout lacrosse player in high school, and recently interned for the Patriots. While I’m her biggest supporter and proudest advocate, my advocacy and support for women in sports began much earlier in life, thanks to my grandmother, Rose; mother, Diane; and older sisters, Laura and Lisa.

My sisters loved sports and were both great high school soccer players in our hometown in rural New York. They were both more talented than I was in every way. They were better students, better athletes, better musicians, and better behaved than I was. However, being a great female high school athlete in the 1970s did not lead to the opportunities it does today, even though the opportunities for women today are still far from where they should be.

For me it was different. The cards were stacked in my favor. I was a boy and I could play football. There was always an element of privilege and hope for me that wasn’t there for Laura and Lisa. Playing football offered the opportunity to go to college and pay for my education. That was never an option for them; it was a truth that was more than unfair.

On January 18, 2023, Laura was struck by her addiction. Throughout the many years that my oldest sister battled her demons, I always wondered if her life would have been different if she had been able to dream differently. What if sports had been an option after high school? Would she have made different choices with more hope? We will never know, but I know what I believe.

My sisters’ plight made a profound impact on me. I am proud to serve on the board of the Women’s Sports Foundation, an organization founded in 1974 by the iconic Billie Jean King that has helped shape the lives of millions of female athletes and coaches by being an ally, advocate and catalyst for expanding participation and leadership opportunities. Billie Jean remains deeply involved with the WSF and its impactful efforts. I am honored to be a friend and trusted advisor to Women Leaders in Sports CEO Patti Phillips, who was one of the first people I met in Kansas City when I became GM of the Chiefs in 2009.

I’m also proud to have supported the development and training of several female football coaches, including Katie Sowers, the first full-time female coach in NFL history, whom I originally hired as an intern with the Atlanta Falcons. Katie’s success inspired Dallas and me to launch the Scott Pioli & Family Fund for Women Football Coaches and Scouts in 2018, providing grants to help women bridge the gender gap in football and take their careers to the next level.

There was a time when supporting women’s sports was considered philanthropy, but that’s not the case here. Dallas and I believe in women’s sports, and we believe in the investment side of things and Boston Unity Soccer Partners. We’re honored and grateful to Jennifer Epstein, Stephanie Connaughton, Ami Kuan Danoff and Anna Palmer for allowing us to be part of this groundbreaking ownership group. Women’s sports are undergoing a renaissance. Interest in the NWSL continues to reach new heights, with the league breaking its attendance record for two consecutive years and increasing its CBS broadcast ratings by 41% to close a historic media rights deal that begins this season.

There’s something special happening in Massachusetts with incredible women leaders. The partnership that exists with the Boston Unity partners and our governor and mayor is something special. It represents a truth that cannot be ignored, and I hope it inspires young women. If you want to be that, you have to see it, and it’s amazing that they’re seeing it with Governor Maura Healey, Mayor Michelle Wu, and the owners of this organization.

I have been incredibly fortunate to have spent my life surrounded by amazing women. Unfortunately, growing up, I had to watch them do that dance of being strong and smart and making good decisions, only to succumb to the absurdity of our culture. I am so grateful that society has evolved, and I am encouraged by the growing opportunities — and hope — that are now available to girls and women that were not opportunities for my grandmother, mother, and sisters. Being part of the group that is bringing NWSL soccer back to Boston is my tribute to them.

Scott Pioli is an NFL Network analyst and consultant for various organizations. He is a three-time Super Bowl champion in a 27-year NFL career and a five-time NFL Executive of the Year.