NWSL Expands to Los Angeles
July 24, 2020
The US National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has awarded rights to a new expansion team in Los Angeles. While the team’s official name and venue partner will be revealed by the end of the year, the group has been coined ‘Angel City’ to honor its planned home in Los Angeles – the ‘City of Angels’ – and will kick-off in Spring 2022.
This will mark the return of women’s professional soccer to California after more than a decade, spearheaded by the first women majority-owned and led ownership group. The group is led by Academy Award-winning actor and activist Natalie Portman, technology venture capitalist Kara Nortman, media and gaming entrepreneur Julie Uhrman and tech entrepreneur and venture capitalist Alexis Ohanian.
The expansion comes in response to demands from fans for a NWSL team in the region and inspiration from the US Women’s National Team’s (USWNT) 2019 performance on-and off-the-field. “We took this as an opportunity to listen, talk to players, union reps, presidents and owners to develop a totally new playbook of how to build a professional sports team where mission and capital, entertainment and sport were equally important,” Kara Nortman, team co-Founder and Partner at Upfront Ventures said.
The founders are energized by the opportunity to work with the NWSL and drive a dialogue about the issues impacting the LA community, as well as those that have negatively impacted women’s sports for decades. “We come together with a collective passion for bringing about change,” team co-Founder and President Julie Uhrman said.
The founding investor group also includes tennis star Serena Williams and daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr. (making her the youngest pro sports owner at 2-years-old), actors Uzo Aduba, Jessica Chastain, America Ferrera, Jennifer Garner and Eva Longoria, late night talk show host Lilly Singh, former USWNT players Julie Foudy, Mia Hamm, Rachel Buehler, Shannon Boxx, Amanda Cromwell, Lorrie Fair Allen, Ronnie Fair Sullins, Joy Fawcett, Angela Hucles, Shannon MacMillan, Tisha Venturini Hoch and Saskia Webber, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and FIFA World Cup Champions Lauren Cheney Holiday and Abby Wambach, author and activist Glennon Doyle, Netflix VP Original Content Cindy Holland, tech entrepreneur and filmmaker Casey Neistat, Founding Board Member of Baby2Baby, Sabina Nathanson, Media Executive David Nathanson, Baby2Baby Co-President Norah Weinstein and Bad Robot President and COO Brian Weinstein.
The team also announced a collaboration with the LA84 Foundation as a Social Impact Partner, directly supporting its Play Equity Fund, which is dedicated to supporting programs and actions to ensure all kids have equal access to sport and structured play. The Fund treats play equity as a social justice issue committed to driving access to sports for underserved communities, including communities of color, girls, the physically challenged and developmentally disabled.
“We couldn’t be more excited to partner with this incredible group of women upon the launch of their new undertaking. They are dedicated to making a positive impact for those who need it most,” said Renata Simril, President & CEO of the LA84 Foundation.
The founders and owners also understand the role that sport can play to help amplify critically important issues in our society, from social justice to gender equity to equal access to sport, and beyond.
“Today we take an exciting step by announcing the first women majority-owned and led ownership group,” said Founder Natalie Portman who was key to the teams’ formation. “I am thrilled by the opportunity to partner with this incredible group of people to bring a professional women’s soccer team to Los Angeles. Sports is such a joyful way to bring people together, and this has the power to make tangible change for female athletes both in our community and in the professional sphere.”