Washington, D.C. (05/25/2023) Sports Small business Journal (SBJ) announced that Michele Kang has won “Deal of the Year” as a aspect of its 16th Annual Sports Small business Awards for her 2022 acquisition of the Washington Spirit.
Kang, who was chosen by SBJ as a 2022 Energy Player in Women’s Sports, was 1 of 5 nominees that incorporated the Walton-Penner group’s acquisition of the Denver Broncos, Key League Soccer and Apple’s ten-year media rights agreement, the Huge Ten Conference’s seven-year media rights agreement with FOX, CBS and NBC amongst other individuals. She was the only lady represented.
“As a female entrepreneur who has some sources, I felt this was my duty. But extra importantly, I see this as a enterprise with amazing industrial viability,” mentioned Kang in her acceptance speech. “We’re not charity.”
Upon getting the Washington Spirit for a record-setting $35 million on March 30, 2022, Kang became the very first particular person of colour to hold a majority stake in an NWSL club. Per SBJ, “The $35 million acquisition, the most high-priced in league history at the time, reset the marketplace for NWSL franchises, straight major to the league extracting a record $58 million expansion charge from the owners of the not too long ago announced expansion group in the Bay Location.”
Her SBJ “Deal of the Year” victory also came on the heels of her acquisition of eight-time Champions League-winning French club Olympique Lyonnais (OL). OL competes in Division 1 Féminine, the highest level of women’s expert soccer in France.
This move will bring collectively the Spirit and Lyon in a worldwide network of women’s soccer clubs. It will develop into the very first lady-owned and -led organization of its sort, cementing Kang’s new mission of rewriting the narrative of what is doable in women’s expert soccer.
Her commitment to establishing the Washington Spirit as a perennial powerhouse and planet-caliber expert sporting organization has been evident ever considering the fact that she acquired the club.
Paramount to Kang’s mission have been each hiring a fleet of exceptionally certified specialists in numerous roles across the organization and establishing an exclusive, state-of-the-art stadium situated in Washington, D.C.
Not even a year into her tenure as owner, Kang effectively executed each of these targets as the club struck a multi-year deal to contact Audi Field its new residence and hired some of the brightest minds in sport and enterprise – President of Soccer Operations and Common Manager Mark Krikorian, President of Small business Operations Emma May well, Head Coach Mark Parsons and Vice President of Functionality, Healthcare and Innovation Dawn Scott.
Amongst the Spirit’s newly established leadership, 1 theme is constant: Kang’s commitment to establishing the Spirit as a planet-class organization.
Element of Kang’s deal to obtain the Spirit came with the mandate of offering a planet-class expertise and expert item to fans. There are now extra choices at every single price tag point than the club has ever provided, such as reasonably priced season plans, pitch-side premium seating and an extended roof at Audi Field for extra coverage from the components.
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About The Washington Spirit
The Washington Spirit is the expert women’s soccer group primarily based at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. Launched in 2012, the Spirit plays in the National Women’s Soccer League, the premier women’s soccer competitors in North America. For extra data about the Spirit, visit WashingtonSpirit.com and comply with the club on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.