Los Angeles’ NWSL expansion team has an official name, and it’s probably what you expected it would be.
Team owner and co-founder Natalie Portman confirmed the official name would be Angel City FC on The Tonight Show Tuesday.
Natalie Portman reveals the name of her new women’s professional soccer team that is coming to Los Angeles in 2022! ⚽ #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/VwKHdfKwXF
— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) October 21, 2020
While the club explained they would explore options for the official name, their launch name of “Angel City” stuck and that’s not altogether surprising, even if a local roller derby league contested the name when the NWSL club was announced because they were already using it.
In addition, the club unveiled 40 new people investing in the club and a venture capital firm, to go with the sizable group that was initially announced. While pop star and actress Becky G had already revealed her involvement, most of the names are new.
Here’s the lowdown from the team’s release:
Today, the team officially welcomes a new group of founding investors including sports icons Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss, WNBA legend Candace Parker and her daughter Lailaa, Gold Medalist and Alpine Skiing Legend Lindsey Vonn, Gold Medalist and NHL-All Star PK Subban, Latin pop superstar Becky G, actress and activist Sophia Bush, private investor, Deirdre DeLany, actor and late night host James Corden, MLS/US Soccer legend and sports broadcaster Cobi Jones, and NFL All-Pro Ryan Kalil.
The group is also joined by MLS Co-Owner and investor Ben Grossman, media executive Brian Sullivan and private investor, Deirdre DeLany, and several business, media and entertainment executives including Rachael Blumberg, Courtney Carter, Glenne Christiaansen, Robyn Farmer, Jeremi Gorman, Sarah Harden, Karin Kildow, Amy Longhi, Hedy Nazarian, Rachael Neumann, Heidi Patel, Jenna Segal, Laela Sturdy, John Brennan, Juan David Borrero and model Jasmine Tookes, Jack Brody and Nicole Gibbs, Doug Sanders, Kathrin Dellago and Doug Dossey, Mark Sheletsky, Jim Shepherd, and George Strompolos, Intersect VC, and Ben Winston.
Angel City FC’s ownership group could not only field a team of their own, they’re getting close to being able to field a full league if they wanted to.
Jokes aside, the club and league announced Angel City FC has now officially joined NWSL, too, meaning presumably they are officially on track for a 2022 launch on the field.
“We could not be more pleased to have reached this exciting milestone of officially joining the league and introducing the world to Angel City Football Club,” said Julie Uhrman, ACFC Founder and President in a statement. “I am also thrilled to announce some additional founding investors who have already been contributing meaningfully to the Angel City Family. This group, aligned in our passion and purpose, is committed to delivering for Los Angeles and our fans on and off the pitch.”
“On behalf of the NWSL and our member clubs, we are thrilled to officially welcome Angel City Football Club, and this exciting and committed ownership group, to the league,” said NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird. “The soccer community in Southern California is filled with passionate fans of the game and I can’t wait to see them rally around their own team and help us continue to grow the NWSL.”
With the name decided and the league giving the club the green light to proceed for a launch in little over a year, the next step will be to figure out where the team will play their games, and continue building the infrastructure of the club. It’s an exciting time, and the best days are ahead of us.
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