^{Images via NWSL}

The NWSL’s Chicago Red Stars have been purchased by an all-women investor group, led by local baseball team Chicago Cubs’ co-owner Laura Ricketts.

The $60 million deal comes nearly a year after former owner Arnim Whisler put the club up for sale, after finding himself at the centre of a league-wide abuse scandal.

The US Soccer Federation commissioned former US Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to investigate abuse and misconduct – verbal, emotional and sexual – in the league. Both Whisler and Portland Thorns’ owner Merritt Paulson were implicated in perpetuating a culture of abuse at their clubs, subsequently putting them on the market.

Ricketts’ acquisition of the club adds to her local portfolio. She became the first woman and LGBTQ+ owner of an American men’s professional sports franchise when her family took over the MLB’s Chicago Cubs in 2009. In addition to this, she’s also a minority owner of WNBA side Chicago Sky.

In a statement released by the club, Ricketts said: “We wholeheartedly believe in and are excited about the future of the Red Stars and the NWSL. There is unprecedented fan growth in women’s soccer globally, and we want to be a part of building on that momentum and success here in Chicago.

“We will strive to provide an environment in which players thrive, supported by experienced executives who are dedicated to our athletes, our fans and the game.”

With the club currently sitting at the bottom of the NWSL table, hopefully this change in ownership will turn the tide, improving the culture at the club as well as performance.

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