The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup was a turning point in the history of women’s sports. While the United States lifted the title, there were question marks about the gender-based pay gap. Subsequently, it led to a revolution and one of the leading figures at the forefront of it was Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian. The Reddit co-founder was bullish on women’s sports and invested in the NWSL club Angel City FC. Earlier this month, Ohanian revealed the actual reason why he invested in the soccer club.

Since Ohanian joined Angel City FC as an investor, the club has reached new heights, being valued at an astonishing $250 million and on the course to attain $1 billion in valuation by 2030. While Serena Williams and Ohanian’s daughter, Olympia, were big inspirations behind this investment, the Reddit co-founder gave a blunt reason for his venture into women’s sports. Earlier this month, a new episode of the Spolitics podcast dropped by where Alexis Ohanian spoke about his investments in sports. During that conversation, he was asked about how he looked at women’s sports as a massive investment opportunity.

Ohanian revealed, “All of my um every investment I make is first and foremost an investment right the business matters above all and I want to show and all these investments in women’s sports like don’t get it twisted like yes obviously I’m married to Serena the GOAT yes I have two daughters um but the number one driving force behind all these investments starting with Angel City back in 2019 has been business opportunity and sure those things matter to me.”

Angel City FC has gone on to become the most valuable club in the NWSL by quite some distance. It is valued at $250 million and is expected to grow 4x by 2030. Ohanian first invested about a million dollars in the club in 2019. Although his friends revealed that he would lose all his money, they were proved wrong as the club achieved new heights. Ohanian has spoken in favor of women’s sports on many occasions.; during the same podcast, he also made an interesting comparison of women’s sports with men’s sports.

Serena Williams’ husband makes an eye-catching comparison

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Over the past few years, the growth of women’s sports has outpaced that of men’s sports. Thus, Ohanian grabbed the opportunity just at the right time and started investing in women’s sports. Moreover, with Serena Williams present back home, he had many examples to share that highlighted the superiority of women’s sports.

Ohanian once revealed, “More Americans watch the women’s final (the US Open finals) than the men’s… Serena and Venus were so great in a space that is so not used to them that folks can’t stop talking about them. Can’t stop looking away. A whole ton of new fans become fans of the sport because of them. And now they have been given, US tennis has been given the greatest gift they could have dreamed of.” 

The Williams sisters played in numerous finals, which garnered large audiences. The Reddit co-founder aims to change the landscape of women’s sports and has also invested in sports like golf. It’ll be interesting to see the next steps that Ohanian takes as far as women’s sport is concerned.