In a historic moment for women’s professional sports, Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes took center stage as lead investors, celebrating the inaugural match at the Kansas City Current’s new $120 million CPKC Stadium. The Chiefs QB’s daughter Sterling’s fandom for sports played a significant role in his pioneering investment. Interestingly, Mahomes isn’t alone in making this investment driven by the next generation of fans.
It is similar to the trailblazing path of Serena Williams‘ husband, Alexis Ohanian, who led a group that invested over $100 million into Angel City FC, another NWSL expansion team. For Patrick Mahomes, being a “girl dad” to 3-year-old daughter Sterling provided all the motivation he needed to pour millions into the KC Current’s state-of-the-art facility that has become the mecca for women’s soccer.
In a recent interview with ESPN, the host asked the QB why it was important for him to be part of something of this magnitude outside of football. Mahomes said he was overwhelmed with the support Kansas City has shown him, so he wanted to give back in the best possible way. The 28-year-old said, “I know how great this city is and to be making history, to be making history in women’s sports – I have a young daughter and to give them the platform that they deserve. I mean I’ve seen the type of talent that they showcase every single game.”
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These insights align with Mahomes’ broader vision of using this platform to support female empowerment and create opportunities for the next generation. He continued,”… And we wanted to build the stadium that matched that talent and to have it here in Kansas City as the first women-specific women’s only Stadium I think it’s going to be something that’s just a starter.”
The CPKC Stadium is situated along the banks of the Missouri River. The premier venue has an 11,500 seating capacity. Apart from Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, current Chairman and CEO Chris Long, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, and NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman were present at the inaugural ceremony.
In an interview with PEOPLE, earlier this year, Brittany said that Mahomes was adamant that Sterling attending his games and witnessing the elite skills of athletes firsthand was the driving force. She said, “She can finally kind of realize what’s going on and where she’s at, and she loves to watch her dad play football. She can see him from a mile away and pays attention and keeps up with what’s going on with him.” The Chiefs’ quarterback’s wife ensured their kids, Sterling and Bronze, attended their dad’s games since birth.
Seeing his daughter’s joy illuminated Mahomes’s opportunity to provide a world-class stage for women’s soccer. The power couple were beaming with pride as their pioneering investment in the world’s first dedicated venue for a professional women’s team came to fruition. Adding to the excitement, KC Current held off Portland Thorns in a 5-4 thriller.
A similar vision is reflected in Serena Williams and her better-half’s investment in Angel City FC. But here’s what you might not know. Alexis Ohanian too was driven by the passion he saw in his daughter’s eyes at a tender age.
Alex Ohanian’s smart business movie made a cultural impact
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Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, spearheaded a group investing over $100 million into the Los Angeles-based Angel City FC when they joined the NWSL as an expansion team in 2022. The Reddit co-founder was also motivated by setting an example for his daughter Olympia.
In an interview with On Her Turf about the 2019 World Cup, Ohanian said, “A big part of the reason why I started Angel City FC was because Olympia was running around, this is 2019 in a Alex Morgan jersey,” and the pushed him to invest in a team.
Ohanian saw backing elite women’s soccer as an equal, smart business move and important cultural impact. “Women’s soccer, in particular, I believed was tremendously under-resourced, under-marketed, undervalued, underappreciated, under-supported,” he stated. With Angel City exceeding all expectations for season tickets, attendance, and sponsorship revenues in their inaugural season, it proved investing in the women’s game could be lucrative.
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Like the Chiefs star, Ohanian understands their high-profile support goes beyond just the bottom line. “Every single time someone buys the jersey, shows up, or tweets about the match, they know they’re pushing something much, much bigger,” he said, impacting future generations.
