West Ham United are reportedly in advanced negotiations to sell up to a 49 percent stake in its Women’s Super League (WSL) team to the Monarch Collective, a deal which would value the club at £55 million (US$74.3 million). This move would see the Hammers become the second WSL club to attract US-based investment.
According to The Guardian, West Ham’s current ownership group, which includes David Sullivan, Daniel Kretinsky, and the family of the late David Gold, would maintain a controlling interest in the women's team. The club has competed in the WSL since 2018 and finished ninth last season.
If the deal goes through, Monarch Collective is expected to provide additional funding for the team’s squad, as well as expertise to support their growth. One of the primary goals would be to resolve West Ham’s ongoing dispute with London Stadium landlords E20 regarding the cost of renting the stadium for WSL matches.
Should the transaction be finalised, West Ham would join Chelsea as the second WSL team with US investment. Earlier this year, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian acquired a reported 10 percent stake in Chelsea’s women’s team for around £20 million (US$27 million).
The Guardian also reports that Aston Villa are in talks with US investors to sell up to 10 percent of shares in their women’s team. Villa recently transferred its women’s squad to the club’s owners as part of a strategy to meet the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR).
The Monarch Collective, co-founded by Kara Nortman and Jasmine Robinson, has become a key player in women’s sports investment, with a particular focus on National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) teams.
In March, the fund announced it had raised an additional US$250 million, with backing from high-profile investors such as Melinda French Gates and former Netflix executives Cindy Holland and Annie Imhoff. The Collective has primarily focused on minority stakes in teams within women’s sports.
No comments:
Post a Comment