Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of prominent internet social media and forum site Reddit and of venture capital firm Seven Seven Six, has bought a stake in English Women’s Super League (WSL) soccer champions Chelsea.
Ohanian, husband of women’s tennis icon Serena Williams, has reportedly taken a 10% stake in the team for a fee of £20 million ($26.6 million), placing the club’s valuation at around £200 million, which is roughly the fee that Chelsea women’s owner BlueCo (a holding company owned by Chelsea men’s team owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital) purchased that side from Clearlake for, last June.
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That deal allowed Chelsea to avoid breaching profit and sustainability rules laid down by the men's Premier League last season
On social media site LinkedIn, Ohanian hinted that he will aim to grow Chelsea’s profile in the USS, one of the world’s biggest women’s soccer markets, saying: “I’ve bet big on women’s sports before – and I’m doing it again. “I’m proud to announce that I’m joining Chelsea Women FC as an investor and board member. I’m honored for the chance to help this iconic club become every American’s favorite WSL team and much, much more.”
WSL action is currently broadcast in the US on pay-TV giant ESPN.
This is not Ohanian’s first foray into the world of women’s soccer, as he was previously the owner of US National Women’s Soccer League side Angel City FC prior to its sale to Bob Iger, and remains on the board of that club.
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By GlobalDataChelsea have yet to lose a domestic league fixture in the 2024-25 season, winning the WSL (for the sixth time in a row) and the Women’s League Cup undefeated, and may yet complete a domestic treble with the upcoming Women’s FA Cup final on May 18. Having reached the semi-finals of the 2024-25 Women’s Champions League, they are among the best (and most commercially valuable) women’s soccer teams in the world.
Outside of soccer, Ohanian and Williams (alongside Venus Williams also) own the TGL golf franchise Los Angeles Golf Club, and Serena Williams herself holds minority stakes in the Toronto Tempo women’s basketball side, and the Miami Dolphins National Football League team.
