Boston Unity brings women's soccer back to town

Why it matters: The league will bring professional women's soccer back to Boston for the first time in nearly a decade.

• The new team's owners plan to repair the dilapidated, 78-year-old White Stadium in Franklin Park, which is still used for summer camp, football games and track meets.

Flashback: The Women's United Soccer Association brought in the Boston Breakers in 2000. The Breakers played in that league until it folded in 2003, followed by a subsequent one until 2012, before joining the NWSL as a founding team.

• But the team disbanded in 2018 when a buyer fell through.

What they're saying: "We intend to build a championship-caliber team that is a perennial contender," Epstein said at a press conference.

• "We strive to create a legacy for women's sports in Boston and reestablish what a successful Boston sports team can look like within our city."

Between the lines: The news of the stadium rehabilitation comes to Boston soccer fans who for years have yearned for a local venue to watch professional soccer. Up to this point, that has only meant the men's team, the New England Revolution.

• Robert Kraft even failed to build his own soccer stadium after discussions with UMass Boston stalled in 2017.

Zoom out: The NWSL, which will soon expand to 16 teams, has seen major growth recently.

• Ticketing revenue rose more than 125% in 2022, per the organization.
• Boston is one of two teams that paid a record-setting $50 million in entry fees.

What we're watching: This $30-million overhaul marks the biggest investment in White Stadium in years. While it has remained in use, a fire destroyed the East Grandstand in the 1990s.

• The refurbished stadium would also be used for Boston Public Schools athletics, city officials say.