Lori Lindsey "Would Love" For The Boston Breakers To Return

Lori Lindsey: “When you think of women’s soccer, you think of the Boston Breakers."

Photo Courtesy of Stephanie Yang

Former NWSL player and current soccer analyst Lori Lindsey is ready for the Boston Breakers to return, as long as they aren’t playing on the same turf.

Although Lindsey never wore the Breakers uniform, she has fond memories of the club and views it as a cornerstone for women’s soccer.

“When you think of women’s soccer, you think of the Boston Breakers,” Lindsey told The Blazing Musket. “I never played with the Boston Breakers but some of my friends and former teammates loved their experience. I think in general, because of what the Revs have done but also when you think of soccer and the rich culture that New England has, you want a team there.”

The Breakers ceased operations in Jan. 2018, but the team is expected to be back soon because Boston is one of three cities that were recently awarded a franchise. The new iterations of the Breakers could kick off in 2025.

Lindsey, who has family in Andover, MA, is overjoyed.

“I would love it,” Lindsey said. “I mean, the exposure that you want young players to have to the game, and the women’s game, is so important. Having my family particularly close by, for my nieces to be able to go to those games and experience them from a young age would be amazing. I know that they would love it.”

Lindsey is excited to hear more about what the new Boston team will look like, including where they’ll play. The Breakers once called Harvard Stadium their home. Lindsey remembers that the atmosphere was great, but the playing surface wasn’t.

“It wasn’t the best turf,” Lindsey recalls. “Everyone was like a wounded player leaving there on some of that turf, but the environment, for the fans to be easily accessible, it was some of my best memories. It was so fun. I played a lot of games there. I don’t know if I wish that turf on anybody but, you know, some sort of similarity to that experience would be great.”

The NWSL has grown a lot since it was founded in 2012. Lindsey compared her time in the league to the movie A League of Their Own, stating, “It was bare minimum on a lot of things and you were quite certainly playing a lot of the times for the love of the game.”

Lindsey explained that there were instances when players packed their lunches or played games without locker rooms. She said, “Some of it was a wild experience.”

She provided one story that she thinks exemplifies the early years of NWSL. It happened around the time of the Boston Marathon.

“We were on this sleeper bus for hours trying to get out of Boston after a game and it was just a nightmare,” Lindsey said. “So, you know, a bus ride that would typically take maybe four-and-a-half hours or so, we were on a bus ride for like eight plus hours and I feel like that sums it up.”

Lindsey is happy to see how far soccer in this country has come. The women’s and men’s leagues are getting stronger and exciting things are happening at the international level. The United States will co-host the 2026 Men’s World Cup and there’s a possibility that they’ll also serve as a co-host for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

As a pundit, Lindsey is an important part of the growth of domestic progress. She loves the role but said that she would be open to the possibility of joining an ownership group one day.

“Well, never say never,” Lindsey said when asked about going into ownership. “I live in Philadelphia. This is my home. I love it. So things are happening here as well. I’m open to many different pathways. I love what I’m doing now. I’m so passionate about it. It keeps me close to the game. It feels like a second playing career. That’s my focus now but doors open in a different way, again, I’m always open to conversations.”