Angel City FC, a women’s professional soccer team, is on the brink of becoming the most valuable franchise in its league thanks to a proposed investment by Bob Iger and his wife Willow Bay. The couple, who are currently the CEO of Walt Disney Co. and dean of USC Annenberg School respectively, plan to invest around $50 million in addition to the team’s current valuation of $250 million.
The news of their potential investment was first reported by Puck News and Semafor, and has since been supported by notable figures from various industries such as Natalie Portman, Serena Williams, Billie Jean King, and Jennifer Garner. If successful, Iger and Bay will become controlling shareholders of the team, taking over from Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.
Angel City FC plays its NWSL home games at BMO Stadium on the USC campus near downtown LA, sharing the venue with Major League Soccer’s LAFC. Since its debut in 2022, the team has seen rapid growth alongside the increasing popularity of women’s sports. President Julie Uhrman has expressed optimism about the team’s future and aims to achieve a billion-dollar valuation within five years.
Despite this news, Angel City FC has faced challenges in recent years with reports of sexual harassment and misconduct leading to the removal of several coaches and former commissioner. However, representatives for Angel City FC did not respond to Deadline’s requests for comment on these issues.
