CNN
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When entrepreneur and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian began thinking about investing in women’s football, it was unlikely that he would oppose the idea from his wife, tennis legend Serena Williams.
“When I first told Serena I was about to start buying or starting a women’s soccer team here in the state, she actually tried to talk to me.
“Because of her living experience, she actually had to kick a lot of doors, so she was actually trying to talk to me.”
Ohanian, who bought a minority shareholder of England’s Chelsea FC female, explained that he is in close proximity to the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion and her sister Venus.
Ohanian was a founding investor for Angel City FC, a Los Angeles-based team that began playing in the National Women’s Football League (NWSL) in 2022. After a massive acquisition agreement in 2024, the club has become the world’s most valuable female professional sports team.
Ohanian, whose investment in Chelsea has been reported to be worth more than $26 million by the UK media to a 10% share of the club, is just one of many who put cash into women’s sports.
His investment announcement comes the same month as defending WNBA champion New York Liberty reportedly raised capital from investors for $450 million.
Meanwhile, Ohanian’s wife Serena, the minority owner of Angel City and the TGL, the innovative golf league of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, the TGL, and the Miami Dolphins, announced the ownership role in Canada’s WNBA franchise, Toronto Tempo in March.
The Ohanian said he saw others invest in women’s soccer as an opportunity.
“When space experts try to talk to me, that’s when I actually tend to lean more, because I tell them the kind of objection and pushback is usually a place where there is a great opportunity for innovation and progress,” he said.
Opportunities and “things to do”
Ohanian, 42, announced a deal to invest in Chelsea women in early May, saying she is “prideful” to help “iconic clubs” (already one of the most successful teams in women’s soccer) become the most popular women’s super league (WSL) team in the United States.
“I think a lot of well-meaning people have historically supported women’s sports… They actually stolen it because they were seen as charity. “No, I’m doing this because I think these are ridiculous athletes.”
He says that sports and incredible athletes “are fundamentally human beings the type of entertainment they are trying to endure.”
In 2024, Ohanian founded Aslos, a women-only track and field event that debuted later that year. The event aims to provide $60,000 to race winners and advocate for female athletes around the world.
“Five years ago, one of the North Stars for me – when I started investing in this building trip, women’s professional sports, this investment is not just in the clubs, but in the surrounding infrastructure that flows through all levels of women’s sports.
“For 100 years, professional sports have been by men for men. And when there were female and female teams, in many ways, they have been treated literally as little men. He explained to CNN Sports.
Ohanian said teams like Chelsea, who have secured six consecutive WSL titles this month, earning domestic highs and remain undefeated in 22 consecutive games, will offer a “opportunity to show people something really, really special.”
“We are pleased that the discourse has changed to where people realize there is a real opportunity here, but there is still a lot to do. I really believe this club should be the first $1 billion franchise in women’s sports, a $1 billion club.”