Alexis Ohanian, Principal Owner, Angel City Football Club & Los Angeles Golf Club, looks on during a conversation with Olympic sprinter Gabby Thomas during the Business of Women Sport Summit presented by Deep Blue Sports and Axios at Chelsea Factory on April 23, 2024 in New York City.
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Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian has purchased a minority stake in Chelsea FC Women, giving him an ownership stake in two of the most-valuable teams in women’s sports.
The founder of venture capital firm Seven Seven Six and husband of tennis legend Serena Williams paid 20 million pounds for a 10% stake in the English soccer team, according to a person familiar with the deal. Ohanian is also a part owner in the National Women’s Soccer League’s Angel City FC alongside Disney CEO Bob Iger and his wife, Willow Bay.
Ohanian’s Chelsea deal values the women’s club at 200 million pounds, according to the person familiar, making it the most valuable women’s team in the world based on current foreign exchange rates. As part of the deal, Ohanian will be given a seat on the team’s board.
“I’ve bet big on women’s sports before — and I’m doing it again,” Ohanian said in a post on social media site X confirming the stake.
Chelsea FC Women have won six consecutive Women’s Super League titles. Ohanian says he see the opportunity to grow a worldwide brand within women’s football.
Chelsea FC Women gifted Alexis Ohanian’s daughters jerseys.
Courtesy of Alexis Ohanian
“I’m confident Chelsea FC Women is the next global women’s sports brand,” he said.
Ohanian left Reddit in 2020 to focus on building a legacy for his two young daughters through sports and other investments.
He said in 2024 he had invested $250,000 from his daughters trust fund into Angel City FC. Ohanian said the investment made them the youngest owners in professional sports and multi-millionaires.
Williams also recently became part owner of WNBA expansion team the Toronto Tempo, and Ohanian has started a women’s track competition.
