West Ham In Talks Over Selling Stake In Women’s Team To Us Private Equity Fund

West Ham are successful precocious talks complete trading a liking successful their women’s squad to an American backstage equity money dedicated to investing successful women’s sport.

The Guardian has learned that Monarch Collective, of which nan co‑founder group up Angel City FC earlier investing successful nan NWSL teams successful San Diego and Boston, wants to bargain up to 49% of nan Women’s Super League nine successful a projected woody that values nan broadside astatine astir £55m.

West Ham’s existing ownership group of David Sullivan, Daniel Kretinsky and nan David Gold family is expected to clasp a controlling interest. The nine declined to comment.

West Ham would go nan 2nd WSL nine to waste shares to American investors this twelvemonth successful a inclination that reflects nan competition’s increasing world appeal, a position apt to beryllium strengthened by nan commercialized benefits of England’s 2nd successive European Championship win this summer.

Chelsea sold 10% of their women’s squad to Alexis Ohanian, an American entrepreneur who co-founded nan societal media level Reddit and is nan hubby of nan tennis fable Serena Williams, for £20m successful May successful a woody that weighted nan WSL champions astatine £245m.

Aston Villa are believed to beryllium successful talks pinch US investors complete perchance buying up to 10% of nan women’s nine aft nan remaining 90% was sold to Villa’s genitor company, V Sports, controlled by their owners, Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens.

Monarch is understood to person held talks pinch Chelsea this twelvemonth and to person approached West Ham aft failing to adjacent that deal, contempt nan nine having a very different profile.

West Ham person played successful nan WSL since 2018 but person ne'er vanished successful nan apical 5 and are nan only top‑flight nine linked to a men’s squad not to person played a crippled astatine their men’s stadium successful nan past six years. West Ham are successful conflict pinch nan London Stadium landlord, E20, complete nan costs of renting nan crushed for a WSL fixture – a root of vexation for nan nine – and play astatine Dagenham & Redbridge’s 6,000-capacity Chigwell Construction Stadium.

Monarch is nan largest women’s-dedicated sports money successful nan world and would bring further investment, including successful nan squad, and expertise. It would look to resoluteness nan conflict pinch E20.

Monarch was founded by nan task capitalists Jasmine Robinson and Kara Nortman, who raised $150m successful a backing information 2 years agone and person since raised a further $100m to put successful women’s sports. The company’s all-female investors see nan philanthropist Melinda French Gates and nan erstwhile Netflix executives Cindy Holland and Annie Imhoff.

Nortman was a co-founder of Angel City on pinch Ohanian, Natalie Portman and Julie Uhrman, and retained a mini liking erstwhile nan nine were sold past twelvemonth pinch a $250m valuation, a grounds for a women’s sports team. Monarch has since invested successful San Diego Wave and nan description nine Boston Legacy FC, who will subordinate nan NSWL adjacent year.

Ohanian is not an investor successful Monarch truthful contempt his erstwhile business interests pinch Nortman astatine Angel City location is nary conflict of liking if nan company’s bid for West Ham succeeds.

West Ham’s women’s squad person been nan work of 3 female board since 2023: Karren Brady, Tara Warren and Nicola Keye. Monarch would make its ain appointments to nan activity team.