The OL Reign and Washington Spirit finished in a 0-0 draw in Megan Rapinoe’s final NWSL regular-season home game Friday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Lumen Field hosted 34,130 fans, a new attendance record in the NWSL.
- Claudia Dickey provided the best stop of the evening to prevent a close-range Spirit attempt from Trinity Rodman in stoppage time, preserving her clean sheet.
- The Reign now sit at 8-8-5, while the Spirit hold a 7-5-9 record.
34,130 👀
There is a new attendance record in the #NWSL pic.twitter.com/aZGIRb9NFD
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 7, 2023
How Reign celebrated Rapinoe
There was a lengthy pre-game ceremony, and another planned for after the match, but there wasn’t much in terms of fireworks from either the Reign or the Spirit in the 0-0 draw Friday night. The other Friday night match helped out both teams a bit, with Racing Louisville FC coming from behind to keep the Orlando Pride out of the top six, but both teams will feel a little underwhelmed with their performances.
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In better news, OL Reign set a new attendance record with some help from the celebration of Rapinoe and some perfect fall weather up in the Pacific Northwest. Having been at Lumen Field when they’ve been unable to crack 10,000, the energy felt noticeably different Friday night, especially late in the game as the Reign got a few looks on goal.
It’s impossible to forget that this team is in transition, not just from Rapinoe’s departure, but since it’s been on the market for new ownership for months. A single attendance mark like this might not sway purchase price, but it’s desperately needed to build a more sustainable audience in Seattle. — Meg Linehan, senior women’s soccer writer
What they’re saying
“I know that I’m a well-liked figure and an important person in this game,” Rapinoe said after Friday’s match. “I am not trying to minimize that or try to play too humble. I do know my impact. It’s one thing to know it and another thing to see it and feel it and see the signs, see pink wigs and see what that means to people. It’s hard to put just this deep sense of gratitude and joy and thankfulness for being able to have a moment like this into work. I think that is kind of the hardest part.”
Rapinoe’s teammate Lauren Barnes spoke to just how much influence Rapinoe has had on not only the team, but the city of Seattle.
“It’s undeniable her positive impact that she’s had on the city,” Barnes said. “We have been playing all year and we get 35 today. I mean that is specifically for this woman. Our foundation is because of her. We’ve built everything around her.”
Required reading
- Sue Bird on Rapinoe’s impending retirement: ‘We’re excited to start this phase’
- Rapinoe from those who know her: ‘She makes the tough times easier for everybody’
- Rapinoe talks legacy, future of USWNT, women’s sports: ‘It feels very much like a beginning’
(Photo: Steven Bisig / USA Today)