Alexis Ohanian is the co-founder and principal investor of Angel City FC, which started playing in the NWSL. … [+]
Alexis Ohanian will be the first to admit that he is not a hardcore football fan by any definition of the word. The Reddit co-founder said he grew up playing soccer for nine years because “his parents didn’t let him play soccer until he was in high school.”
Amidst the excitement of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Ohanian told wife Serena Williams how wonderful it would be if her daughter Olympia could one day play on football’s grandest stage.
“Serena said, ‘Until I pay what I’m worth,'” Ohanian recalls.
Ohanian set out to change the story, not only for the generation of Olympia and beyond, but for the millions of girls and women past and present who have dedicated their lives to the game they love.
But at the same time, the Seven Seven Six founder, entrepreneur and venture capitalist also saw an opportunity, a flame that needed a spark.
Soccer, especially women’s soccer, won its fourth World Cup title in 2019 despite Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan scoring in the 1999 World Cup final and the USWNT despite ongoing equal pay lawsuits against US soccer. Recorded the cup title.
Ohanian took to Twitter to share her support for the USWNT and the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is a highly competitive domestic soccer league.
While not a “literal millionaire,” Ohanian’s net worth was estimated at $70 million. forbes In 2019, join Natalie Portman, Julie Erman and Kara Nortman in the majority female-led ownership group of Angel City FC, a new NWSL expansion side that will start playing in 2022. and put his money where his mouth used to be in July 2020. Other early investors include Julie Foudy, Uzo Aduba, Serena Williams, Jessica Chastain, Mia Hamm, America Ferrera, Jennifer Garner and Eva Longoria.
“I believed that women’s football in particular was under-resourced, under-marketed, under-represented, under-represented and under-supported.” My north star at is that this was clearly a good investment and I feel like everything else came from it.”
Angel City FC exceeded expectations in its first campaign in terms of season tickets, average attendance and corporate sponsorship.
When the club started planning for 2020, it was aiming for 5,000 season tickets in its first season, but sold nearly 16,000 and had a 90% renewal rate in 2023, according to The Wall Street Journal. . Angel City was also planning an average attendance of 8,000. It was 10,000 at Bank of California Stadium, but four sellouts brought it to nearly 19,000. The $11 million corporate partnership far exceeded expectations of $3.25 million.
Angel City FC captain Ali Riley, 5, hugs a fan after handing over his cleats after a game at Bank of the Bank. … [+]
No one underestimates the importance that Major League Soccer (MLS) has contributed to the growth of the sport and the NWSL, which originated from the United States that hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The campaign spans an owner group that includes Billie Jean King, Candice Parker, PK Subban, Becky G, Sophia Bush, James Corden, Christina Aguilera, Gabrielle Union, Rachel Zoe and Sean Johnson East following Series A raises. increase. February 2022.
“It’s more fact than emotion,” says Ohanian. “I’m not here to say, ‘It would be really great if people came out to support women because it’s important to inspire young girls.’ There aren’t more season ticket holders than the 26-year-old franchise that once had David Beckham in Los Angeles without creating a product that just loves and excites.
“Every time someone buys a jersey or attends a game or tweets about a game, they know they are pushing for something bigger. I’ve learned a lot about the online community, it’s this power, it’s been hoarding some kind of energy for a long time, and I’m glad to see it going in such a positive place. I love you. Women deserve this.”
Angel City FC is not the only NWSL franchise. Gotham FC welcomes Carly Lloyd, Kevin Durant, Rich Kleiman, Sue Bird and Eli Manning to the club’s ownership group for 2022. Alexander Ovechkin is a minority shareholder in Washington Spirit.
Well-known owner/investor or not, NWSL continues to grow and expand as it concludes its 10th campaign. The league welcomed over one million fans to the game for the first time this season, nearly doubling the total for the 2021 season. He also set two playoff attendance records on October 16. Later that day he hosted 26,215.
Last year’s championship match saw a 216% increase in viewership compared to the 2019 final. The league will announce the title of the game on CBS, starting at 8 p.m. We will host the 2022 championship. NWSL also boasts 14 corporate partners including Nike, Budweiser, Verizon, CarMax and Mastercard.
Despite the impact of the Yates report on allegations of abuse and sexual misconduct across the league, which resulted in the resignation of owners, coaches and staff, the future of the NWSL and women’s soccer in the United States did not look bright .
“[Players]are now in the league, devastated by the expectations of their entire life from grade school to college, knowing that the pros continue to be underfunded and undersupported. Take a side job.” Ohanian says. “This is not a winning lap because there is still a lot to do, but it is very nice to see the mindset change.”
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