Michele Kang - women's sports QUEEN👑!
Michele Kang may be a new name to English football fans but she has been making a name for herself in the US for quite a while.
In England, she’s owner of London City Lionesses, formerly a championship team and just recently promoted to the Women’s Super League (WSL). These Lionesses form an independent club; they standalone and are not affiliated with a men’s club nor a premier league club - all the other WSL teams are linked to a men’s premier league club.
Image courtesy Associated Press
Kang became involved with the club in December 2023 and the Lionesses are the third team on her books after Washington Spirit and OL Lyonnes. She was always aiming for promotion to the WSL and Kang’s already talking about the summer transfer window: she wants to purchase players to strengthen the team ahead of their first season in top-flight English women’s football.
How it all began for Kang
It was in 2019 that Kang was invited to help celebrate the US women’s football (soccer) team’s World Cup success at the Capitol in Washington DC. She saw the power of football and as an entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist, was introduced to Washington Spirit. In 2022, she became the first woman of colour to own a National Women’s Soccer League team - Washington Spirit.
In 2023, Kang expanded her football empire by becoming involved with the French women’s team Olympique Lyonnais now OL Lyonnes, creating a global organisation to propel women’s football upwards and forwards. She has interests in other football teams around the world, male and female, but don’t be misled, she is a major figure in women’s football.
Michele Kang’s investments in women’s sport
Alongside Kang’s investments in Washington Spirit, Olympique Lyonnais and London City Lionesses, she has invested
$30 million - the US women’s national soccer team
$50 million - women’s health and sports injuries
$4 million - US women’s rugby team after she saw them playing at the Olympic Games in Paris and was captivated by the fan engagement
$2 million - IDA, the women’s football boots/ cleats company.
Achievements within Kang’s empire
Under Kang …
Washington Spirit
Currently fifth in the table but Kang has brought stability to the club, which was part of an investigation into a ‘toxic culture’ before her arrival. She’s helping players understand about their menstrual cycles and developing them as women - she encourages them to study outside football ready for when their soccer career is over.
OL Lyonnes
This team were successful before Kang became involved but they do now play at the Groupama Stadium like the men. And they’ve had a rebrand!
London City Lionesses
Their journey under Kang is just beginning but they have already been promoted - so a pretty good start. We’re sure they will receive the same encouragement to broaden their career horizons like Washington Spirit and with the WSL ahead, we’re sure there’s much more to come.
Michele Kang is a positive force in women’s sports. She wants to own a club on every continent to start to level the playing field and ensure that growth is not just a privilege of some over others. Kang wants to change the trajectory of women’s sports. Quite rightly, she sees it as growth market, a sound investment and she predicts a profitable outcome.
Michele Kang is ahead of the game; she’s leading the charge forward and we’re all lucky to be part of it.
Thumbnail image courtesy Alamy