Two years ago, Serena Williams and her millionaire husband Alexis Ohanian made a decision that would change the course of women’s soccer. They decided to invest in the National Women’s Soccer League (NSWL) team, Angel City FC.
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The team, which was founded by Hollywood actress Natalie Portman, quickly gained a following of high-profile investors. With the intention of increasing the exposure to women’s soccer and providing female athletes with the opportunity and pay they deserve.
ABC's @Zohreen Shah spoke to two of Angel City FC's co-owners, Natalie Portman and Alexis Ohanian, along with star forward Christen Press about what this team means for women's soccer.#GMA3 pic.twitter.com/NyO5w3anDL
— GMA3: What You Need To Know (@ABCGMA3) April 25, 2022
And it paid off. In their inaugural season, Angel City FC sold out stadiums and saw tremendous commercial success. But for Ohanian—Reddit co-founder, businessman, and entrepreneur—the decision to invest in women’s soccer was about more than just making a profit. Instead, Ohanian believes that investing in women is simply good business.
Ohanian talks about David Beckham and numbers drawn by women’s soccer
Alexis Ohanian is confident that women’s soccer will eventually draw in the same number of, if not more, viewers than men’s soccer. In an interview, Ohanian expressed his feelings. “It’s facts over feelings,” He said.
“I’m not here to say, ‘Oh, it would be really great if people came out to support the women because it’s important for inspiring young girls.’ Yes, but you don’t have more season ticket holders than a 26-year-old franchise that once had David Beckham in Los Angeles without making a product that people just fucking love and are excited by.”
Reddit’s CEO’s words speak to the success of Angel City FC and the growing popularity of women’s soccer. It is clear that there is a market for women’s sports. And investors like Ohanian are helping to grow that market. With more investment, women’s sports will continue to grow in popularity and provide opportunities for female athletes.
Investors like Serena Williams have helped women’s soccer grow
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It is no secret that women’s soccer has lagged behind the men’s game in terms of popularity and investment. For years, the women’s game was often considered an afterthought, with very little money being pumped into the sport. However, this has changed in recent years, thanks in large part to the efforts of high-profile investors like Serena Williams.
Other big names like Christina Aguilera, Abby Wambach, Mia Hamm, Naomi Osaka, and several others have put their money into teams in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). This has helped to grow the game and give young girls the opportunity to flourish. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for women’s soccer.
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What is your opinion about the future of women’s soccer?