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United Soccer League and Women in Soccer Launch "PITCH IT" Contest

October 12, 2021 - USL Super League (USLSL) News Release

TAMPA, Fla.- The United Soccer League (USL) today announced the launch of the "PITCH IT" contest in partnership with Women In Soccer (WIS). The "PITCH IT" contest will give entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their soccer or sports-related business ideas to professionals working in the industry for a chance to win a cash prize.

"This is a shout out to the grinders who are working independently in soccer," said Courtney Carroll Levinsohn, founder of Women In Soccer. "We see you, we believe in you, and we want to support your entrepreneurial journey to make a difference in the game!"

In order to enter the competition, entrepreneurs must meet the following criteria:

Your vision or organization's purpose uses soccer or sport as a medium/tool

You are a member of a historically underserved or underrepresented community or your company's mission is to support members of these communities

You are a U.S. citizen and legal permanent resident

You are over 18 years of age

You are currently a member of the Women In Soccer community

If you are not a member, you can join the network for free by visiting womeninsoccer.org/join-us/

Each submission for the "PITCH IT" competition will be reviewed by five industry professionals, including Lizzie Seedhouse, Senior Vice President of Digital, Emerging Technology & Strategy at the USL, Courtney Carroll Levinsohn, founder of WIS, Jessica McDonald, North Carolina Courage player and co-founder of Soccer Resilience, Melissa Ortiz, soccer analyst and former Olympian and professional player, and Christina Unkel, PRO referee and Football Laws Analyst for CBS Sports and The Athletic.

"We're extremely excited to be working with our great partners at Women In Soccer on this contest," said Betsy Haugh, USL W League Director of Operations. "We look forward to supporting these entrepreneurs as they work towards achieving their dreams in soccer."

Applications for the "PITCH IT" contest open today and will remain open until Friday, October 29 at 11:59 pm ET. The top five finalists will be announced on Monday, November 1 and each finalist will have until Tuesday, November 16 to submit their video submission outlining the details of their business plan. The winner of the "PITCH IT" contest will be announced on December 13.

To submit your application for the "PITCH IT" contest, visit www.uslsoccer.com/pitch-it.

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