The Chicago Red Stars and an ownership group led by Chicago Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts agreed in principle to purchase the Red Stars on Tuesday, according to an article from NBC Chicago Managing Digital Editor James Neveau.

“I am honored to lead this group of Chicago business and civic leaders in our effort to purchase the Chicago Red Stars,” Ricketts said in an August statement, via NBC Chicago. “Our respective backgrounds in professional sports, finance, turnaround management, commercial real estate, marketing and advertising, paired with our deep community ties, make for a powerful combination that will serve us well in our ultimate goal: building a championship organization on and off the pitch.”

Ricketts joined the group of investors who purchased a 10% stake in the WNBA's Chicago Sky in June. The Sky's $85 million valuation is the second-highest in the league behind the Seattle Storm. 

Red Stars majority owner Arnim Whisler announced he would sell the club in December. Red Stars players called on him to sell his stake in the franchise in October following the release of the Sally Yates report, an independent investigation into allegations of past abusive behavior and sexual misconduct in women's professional soccer led by former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, according to USSoccer.com.

“We are united with the Board of Directors in their decision to remove Whisler from the organization entirely and look forward to finding a new majority owner who can help us realize the full potential that we as players always knew existed for this club,” the October statement read. “We have confidence in our Board's ability to move this club in a direction that is mutually beneficial to players, investors, and our fans.”

Led by midfielder Ella Stevens and forward Penelope Hocking, the Red Stars have scored 19 goals in 2023, putting them at sixth place in the NWSL, according to the league's website.