Alaska Airlines Ends Sponsorship With Soccer Teams

Five days after saying it would re-evaluate its sponsorship of two Portland-based professional soccer teams following a bombshell report on abuse in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), Alaska Airlines has decided to end those partnerships.

In a rate late Sunday press release, Alaska Airlines announced it would no longer sponsor the Portland Timber FC of the men’s Major Soccer League or the Portland Thorns FC of the NWSL. Both leagues and teams are members of the U.S. Soccer Federation, which commissioned an independent report conducted by former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Q. Yates.

The report found rampant, systemic emotional and sexual abuse of female players in the NWSL, including a lack of oversight by the league and the U.S. Soccer Federation.

Instead of financially sponsoring the two Portland teams, Alaska Airlines said it would divert the funds to support the NWSL’s Players Association.

“As we stated following release of the Yates report, we are deeply concerned about its findings. Our foremost priority is to support players through actions that push for a safe, respectful, and transparent culture at the Portland Timbers and Thorns FCs,” Alaska Airlines said in a statement. “Following calls from the players association to support their emergency fund, listening to the Portland fan community, and speaking with team leaders to understand their progress underway, we are taking an immediate next step to redirect Alaska Airlines’ Timbers and Thorns FC sponsorship funds this quarter to the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association “Support the Players Emergency Trust” and to youth sports in the Portland community.”

Delta Air Lines is the main travel sponsor of the NWSL, having signed on earlier this year as the league’s official airline. Last week, in a statement provided to TravelPulse, Delta said:

“Delta’s partnership with the NWSL is rooted in furthering support of women’s athletics and our commitment to equity. The report raises a number of serious concerns that warrant both reflection and action. We commend the courage of all who came forward during the investigation and look forward to the lasting, institutional changes the NWSL will implement to improve the standards of the league.”

Alaska said it will continue to monitor the situation.

“We entered into this partnership as a commitment to the Portland community, and that commitment has not changed,” the airline said. “We will continue to seek input from players and the community to ensure our actions support meaningful change, and will reevaluate our sponsorship based on clear evidence of progress.”