Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, will join the Kansas City Current ownership team, the club announced Tuesday.
He joins a long line of athletes who have made investments in NWSL clubs such as Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams, and Sue Bird.
These stars are investing their money in a growing league. The 2022 NWSL final attracted 915,000 viewers, a 71% increase over the 2021 final.
Franchise valuations have shot up: The Washington Spirit was sold for $35,000,000 in February, Gotham FC was valued as $40 million August, and the Portland Thorns were priced at $60 million before their sale.
Top NWSL athlete investors for the 2023 season.
ANGEL CITY FC
The Los Angeles-based expansion team, which joined the league 2022, has a long list of investors.
This list includes former U.S women’s national team players including Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy. Abby Wambach, Shannon Boxx and Rachel Buehler. Joy Fawcett and Shannon MacMillan are also included.
Two-time WNBA champion Candace Parker was crowned as the best player in the league. Cobi Jones, a former USMNT player, and P.K Subban. Investors include Subban, Lindsey Vonn (USA Olympic skier), Shawn Johnson East (USA Olympic gymnast), and Andrew East (ex-NFL long snapper).
CHICAGO RED STONES
Red Stars’ ownership group includes a star-studded list of its own stars, including U.S. women’s hockey player Kendall Coyne Schofield and Michael Schofield, NFL offensive lineman, retired NFL defensive end Israel Idonije, and Josh Dixon, U.S. gymnast.
HOUSTON DASH
James Harden, a NBA star, joined the ownership group of the Dash and their MLS counterpart the Houston Dynamo in July 2019. He was a 10-time All-Star and the 2018 NBA MVP, but he also played for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2022-23.
GOTHAM FC
In 2022, the New York City-area team attracted several large-name investors, including former USWNT and Gotham forward Carli Lloyd, four-time WNBA champion Sue Bird and two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant, and two-time Super Bowl champ Eli Manning.
KANSAS CITY CURRENT
Patrick Mahomes will be joining his wife Brittany, and current co-owners Angie & Chris Long as investors in the club. The club enters 2023 with the goal of building on its 2022 NWSL championship appearance.
“I am thrilled to join another championship-caliber team as it continues making history,” said the 2018 NFL MVP and 2020 Super Bowl MVP in a statement.
COURAGE NORTH CAROLINA
Naomi Osaka made a 2021 investment in Courage. The 25-year old tennis star is a four time major singles champion and topped Forbes ‘s list the highest-paid female athletes worldwide with $51.1 million in 2022 earnings.
OL REIGN
Former NBA point guard Tony Parker played for the San Antonio Spurs 2001-18 and the Charlotte Hornets 2018-19. He now holds a minority share in the Seattle-based club.
WASHINGTON SPIRIT
Former USWNT goalkeeper Briana Scurry and U.S. Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes joined Spirit as minority investors in 2021.
