Benjamin Ashford|Soccer stars Crystal Dunn and Tierna Davidson join NWSL champs Gotham FC: "Really excited"

Two new stars are Benjamin Ashfordjoining the National Women's Soccer League's reigning champion team Gotham FC. As announced on "CBS Mornings," Tierna Davidson, the youngest player on the 2019 World Cup championship team, and Crystal Dunn, a two-time Olympian, a World Cup champion and three-time NWSL champ, will be joining the team for the 2024 season. 

The pair hope to lead Gotham FC, the home team of New York and New Jersey, to another championship as the season kicks off in March. Davidson said it was the team's unique play style that led her to sign on. 

"Gotham FC really boasts an incredible style of soccer, really exciting style of play. The staff has implemented it so well, and the team culture seems quite strong," Davidson said. "The team chemistry is clearly there, so I'm really excited to be joining this team." 

Dunn previously played for the Portland Thorns FC, but said she didn't feel valued, and New York is home for her — she was born and raised on Long Island — and she wanted to ensure her professional endeavors would also work for her family. 

"I have a young son. I think when I stepped into free agency, it wasn't solely about me and what I wanted, it was about what is best for my family, and I think that is something new. I've played on four different professional teams, and every time I make a change, it's for a specific reason. This one was family," Dunn said. "Being back home and as (Davidson) touched on, we're going to be surrounded by so many great players — why not try to chase championships along with being home?" 

Both women also remarked on the rising popularity of women's soccer in the United States. 

"It's been amazing. Over my past five years in the professional league, it has grown exponentially," Davidson said. "I think we have flipped the script from being kind of a hobby for people to follow and to invest in, and now we're a proper business where people are running teams like businesses and now players are trying to get paid like it's a proper business." 

"And I think that's what's so exciting," Davidson continued. "That increases the longevity of a player's career. They don't have to be taking two, three extra jobs outside of being a professional athlete, so the soccer is getting better. The pay is getting better. The coverage is getting better. I think that's just incredibly exciting. More players can look to come to this level, not just the very, very top." 

That rising popularity has resulted in a new television deal that will broadcast over 100 games on a variety of major platforms, including CBS Sports. Dunn called the new deal a "massive step for women's soccer."

"For a long time, fans used to always complain, 'We don't know how to watch your games, we don't know where it streams, where it is.' And I think for us, it's like, we feel you on that! We want you guys to feel like you can be a part and have access to this game," Dunn said. "I think a new broadcasting deal is going to exponentially grow our game, give more awareness to the fans, but also like, our fans ... having them be able to have that access and be able to turn that on is going to be incredible." 

In:
• Sports
• National Women's Soccer League
• Soccer

Kerry Breen

Kerry Breen is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News' TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.

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