Denver has been awarded the sixteenth franchise within the National Women’s Soccer League for a report $110 million price, Sportico reported Thursday.
Not solely is that growth price greater than double the earlier NWSL report, it will even be the biggest ever paid for a U.S. girls’s skilled sports activities group.
The backers of the Denver bid, together with IMA Monetary Group chief govt officer Robert Cohen, submitted their first fee Tuesday, per the report.
ESPN reported in December that the NWSL had entered into unique negotiations with IMA Monetary group.
The funding group contains embrace an entity referred to as For Denver FC, comprised in a part of Ben Hubbard, the CEO of insurance coverage firm Parsyl, and Tom Dunmore, a former soccer govt with USL facet Indy Eleven and till not too long ago the vp of promoting for Main League Cricket. Phos CEO Nicole Glaros and former NWSL participant and soccer broadcaster Jordan Angeli are additionally concerned.
However Cohen is predicted to offer the majority of the financing, and he’ll function controlling proprietor. Cohen has lengthy been concerned in sports activities endeavors within the Denver space, together with as a board member of the Denver Sports activities Advisory Committee and as a board member of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Basis, which relies in Colorado Springs.
Denver was one of three finalists confirmed by NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman in November, together with Ohio bids from Cleveland and Cincinnati.
Denver and fellow growth franchise Boston, confirmed in 2023, will debut within the league in 2026. The growth price paid by Boston was $53 million, the identical quantity paid by 2025 NWSL newcomer Bay FC.
Data from ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle contributed to this report.
