Angel City Football Club (ACFC) has revealed a definitive agreement with Willow Bay, Dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, and Bob Iger, CEO of the Walt Disney Company. This agreement will result in Bay and Iger becoming the new majority owners of the club once the transaction is finalized.
Bay and Iger are set to acquire a controlling stake in ACFC at an Enterprise Value of $250 million, setting a new benchmark as the most valuable women’s sports team worldwide.
Willow Bay will lead the ACFC Board of Directors, serve as the Controlling Owner for National Women’s Soccer League, LLC (NWSL) purposes, and represent ACFC on the NWSL’s Board of Governors.
Bay and Bob Iger plan to inject an extra $50 million to bolster the Club’s future development.
Angel City Football Club being the most valuable team in NWSL
ACFC reported the highest revenue among all women’s teams globally in 2023, led the NWSL in attendance, sponsorship revenue, and overall revenue, and boasts the largest season ticket membership.
The transaction, contingent upon customary closing conditions and NWSL approval, represents a significant milestone for the women’s sports industry and signals a new chapter for ACFC. With the transaction receiving unanimous approval from ACFC’s Board of Directors and is anticipated to be finalized within the next one to two months.
“Willow and Bob bring unparalleled operational experience, expertise, and passion to ACFC and to the NWSL. They’re lifelong sports fans who have been supporters of ACFC since the team’s founding. They are deeply committed to the Los Angeles community, having been residents, leaders, and philanthropists in the city for almost three decades and have a long track record of dedicating their time and resources to support local Los Angeles organizations,” said the ACFC Board of Directors in a statement.
Angel City Football Club's history
Natalie Portman, venture capitalist Kara Nortman, and entrepreneur Julie Uhrman founded Angel City Football Club in 2020. It attracted several prominent celebrity investors, including Serena Williams, America Ferrera, Jessica Chastain, Christina Aguilera, Billie Jean King, Jennifer Garner, Eva Longoria, and Gabrielle Union. Previously, Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, held the largest stake in the team.
In its third season in the NWSL, ACFC's roster features former USWNT players Christen Press and Sydney Leroux, New Zealand National Team captain Ali Riley, as well as local talents Alyssa and Gisele Thompson. ACFC's head coach is Becky Tweed.
Established in 2012 NWSL currently consists of 14 teams, including Angel City FC. The other teams are Bay FC, NWSL Boston, Chicago Red Stars, Houston Dash, Kansas City Current, NJ/NY Gotham FC, North Carolina Courage, Orlando Pride, Portland Thorns FC, Racing Louisville FC, San Diego Wave FC, Seattle Reign FC, Utah Royals FC, and Washington Spirit.
The new owners Bob Iger and Willow Bay
A distinguished broadcast journalist, Willow Bay is a media innovator, and digital communication leader, currently serving as the dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
She has expanded USC Annenberg’s public outreach on crucial topics, including the impact of communication technology on equity and access, digital media literacy, gender equality in media and communication, and the intersection of sports and social reform.
Robert A. Iger is the Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company, having resumed this role in November 2022 after previously serving as CEO and Chairman from 2005 to 2020, followed by his tenure as Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board until 2021.
Since his return as CEO, Iger has spearheaded a comprehensive transformation aimed at revitalizing creativity as the core focus of Disney. He has also strategically positioned Disney's streaming business to achieve ongoing growth and profitability.
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