Angel City FC — The Club That Became Valuable Before It Became Successful

Angel City FC, the NWSL and the growth of women’s soccer in Los Angeles are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring how a club became one of the most valuable women’s sports teams in the world before winning a major trophy.

Founded by Natalie Portman, Kara Nortman and Julie Uhrman, with early investment from Alexis Ohanian, Angel City launched in 2022 with a star-studded ownership group including Mia Hamm, Serena Williams, Billie Jean King and Abby Wambach. Chris examines how the club built huge crowds at BMO Stadium, developed supporter culture through La Fortaleza, and tied sponsorship revenue directly to community programs.

The episode also covers the signing and comeback of Christen Press, Angel City’s first NWSL playoff appearance, the ownership takeover by Willow Bay and Bob Iger, and the club’s rapid rise to a reported $335 million valuation.

On the field, Chris looks at Sveindís Jónsdóttir, Maiara Niehues, Sarah Gorden, Ally Sentnor, Sydney Leroux and Claire Emslie, plus Angel City’s rivalry with San Diego Wave and the challenge of turning commercial success into sustained NWSL winning. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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