Willow Bay and her husband Bob Iger have acquired control of Los Angeles women’s soccer franchise Angel City FC, the team announced Wednesday.
Bay, Dean of the USC Annenberg School of Journalism, and the Disney CEO nearly doubled the value of the franchise with a pre-capital valuation of $250 million and an investment of over $50 million. Even before the investment, the club was considered the worlds most valuable women’s sports franchise.
Bay will control the ACFC Board of Directors, and serve as the controlling owner for National Women’s Soccer League purposes and represent Angel City on the organization’s Board of Governors.
“Willow and Bob bring unparalleled operational experience, expertise, and passion to ACFC and to the NWSL,” the team’s board said. “They’re lifelong sports fans who have been supporters of ACFC since the team’s founding. They are deeply committed to the Los Angeles community, having been residents, leaders, and philanthropists in the city for almost three decades and have a long track record of dedicating their time and resources to support local Los Angeles organizations.”
Iger and Bay replace Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian as the team’s controlling shareholders. Other notable shareholders include Natalie Portman, Eva Longoria and soccer star Mia Hamm.
Angel City FC generated the most revenue in the league last year, bringing in $31 million, but it is also facing substantial expenses, with profitability still out of reach. The acquisition comes amid a broader push for investment and coverage in women’s sports, spurred by the popularity of athletes like Caitlin Clark.
The franchise was launched four years ago by Portman, venture capitalist Kara Nortman, and entrepreneur Julie Uhrman. The majority of investors in the soccer team are women, making it the largest female-led ownership group in professional sports history.
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