Denver has been awarded the sixteenth franchise within the National Women’s Soccer League for a document $110 million charge, Sportico reported Thursday.
Not solely is that growth charge greater than double the earlier NWSL document, it might even be the most important ever paid for a U.S. girls’s skilled sports activities crew.
The backers of the Denver bid, together with IMA Financial Group chief govt officer Robert Cohen, submitted their first cost Tuesday, per the report.
ESPN reported in December that the NWSL had entered into unique negotiations with IMA Financial group.
The funding group consists of 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 aspect Indy Eleven and till not too long ago the vice chairman of selling for Major League Cricket. Phos CEO Nicole Glaros and former NWSL participant and soccer broadcaster Jordan Angeli are additionally concerned.
But 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 Advisory Committee and as a board member of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation, 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 charge paid by Boston was $53 million, the identical quantity paid by 2025 NWSL newcomer Bay FC.
Information from ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle contributed to this report.
