“It’s Been Treated as a Charity”- Serena Williams’ Husband Alexis Ohanian Once Made a Bold Statement by Saying NWSL Is Much Bigger Than American Soccer League MLS

Alexis Ohanian and Serena Williams are the lead investors in the NWSL team Angel City FC. The team was founded in 2020 and is based in Los Angeles. The team joined the NWSL this year, which was the 10th season of club competition. Ohanian and other investors aim at making women’s soccer best paid and want to change the perception of ‘charity’ around it.

The club’s owners list is too long and is the biggest female investors-owned professional club. Olympia, daughter of Serena Williams and Ohanian, is also part owner and was two when the club was founded. As their daughter is also part of the consortium that owns the club, Ohanian is striving for the betterment of women’s soccer in the US, especially when it comes to salaries. 

Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian want to change the perception of women’s soccer

Ohanian, earlier this year, shared his thoughts regarding women’s soccer in the US. “Frankly, it’s been treated as a charity. I really believe the NWSL can be more popular than the MLS,” Ohanian said. “Our legacy of women’s soccer in the United States is that of greatness, right? It is World Cups, its Olympic gold medals… as we start to show the viewership numbers, the ticket sales, the sponsorship levels, the merchandising. All that stuff, more and more people, will continue to gravitate towards the greatness of the women’s game.”

Ohanian feels the pay is low in women’s soccer, to which Williams agrees and has taken it as a challenge. The couple is serious about the challenge, as their daughter co-owns the team. 

USWNT has been bringing glory to US soccer with its triumphs. They won back-to-back FIFA Women’s World Cups in 2015 and 2019. To date, USWNT won four World Cups, four Olympic Gold medals, and ten CONCACAF Women’s championships. 

Although there were no enormous investments in US soccer previously, the triumphs of USWNT made the large consortium with female celebs, former USWNT players, other athletes, and media personalities come together in 2020 to create Angel City FC. The club wants to be a new norm in the field of soccer with its focus on empowering women’s soccer.

Angel City FC owners have a dream for women’s soccer

As mentioned earlier, the club is the largest female-led ownership group in professional sports. They are paying the players of the club as per the equal pay norms and also share the income from the ticket sales with the players. 

Angel City FC is striving for betterment by providing the proper training facilities to the players. They haven’t stopped here. The club is also running a training program for the players, which aims at finding better career options for them after retirement.

Read More: ‘The Women Deserve This’- Alexis Ohanian’s Touching Statement After Intense Efforts to Make Angel City’s Inaugural Season a Grand Success

The Angel City FC ownership structure has sparked new investments from other athletes and celebs in other NWSL clubs. It will be a turning point for women’s soccer. 

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Let us know your thoughts on the statement made by Alexis Ohanian and the dream of Angel City FC.