Angel City FC may be struggling in the NWSL but they seem to have made the mark off the pitch. Since the inception of the California-based club in 2020, it continues to expand its horizons, financially, to be precise. In fact, their new alleged deal is set to make them one of the biggest prospects in the women’s domestic arena, which coincidentally also makes Alexis Ohanian’s long-term dream come true.  

For those unaware, reports circulated in the past few months that Angel City is looking for a new ownership. Now, the latest developments cite that their hunt may come to an end. Sources reveal that multi-millionaire Disney CEO Bob Iger and his wife, Willow Bay, also a dean at the University of Southern California journalism, are close to buying a controlling stake in Angel City in a deal worth $50 million. This potential investment from both Iger and Bay will propel the team’s pre-money valuation of $250 million out to a whopping $300 million.

It doesn’t end here if the deal goes through, this would make Angel City one of the most valuable women’s sports franchises in the world. Notably, Alexis Ohanian has the largest shareholding in the team and doesn’t have a controlling stake. The team is further led by three co-founding partners—Kara Nortman, Natalie Portman, and Julie Uhrman—alongside many other investors which includes some celebrities as well. However, should Iger and Bay join the board then they will have the maximum control over the club.

The search to get another major investor comes after Ohanian had expressed concerns over the club’s finances last year. In a bid to fix the matter, ACFC hired New York-based investment bank, Moelis & Co. While the deal ends the quest for new ownership, it also fulfills Ohanian’s dream.

How would Angel City’s potential deal with Bob Iger and wife Willow Bay make Alexis Ohanian’s long-term goal come true?

One can say that Alexis Ohanian had already predicted that Angel City FC would one day achieve the title of the best women’s soccer club in the world. When the Los Angeles side was founded, the Reddit owner said: “You have to really believe from Day 1. The goal here is not to be the best club in NWSL. The goal is not to be the best women’s professional sports club.”

The husband of Serena Williams also added, “The goal is not to be the best football club, the goal is to be the best sports franchise in the world.” Certainly, setting this bar has helped Angel City reach where they are today. The only matter that remains to be seen is how quickly the deal will go through. When it does, let’s hope it will also make things better for them on the domestic front.