Angel City FC

Angel City Football Club is a planned National Women's Soccer League expansion team that is expected to begin play in 2022. The team will be based in Los Angeles, California, and was announced on July 21, 2020. The team has many high-profile owners, including Natalie Portman, Eva Longoria, Mia Hamm.[2]

Angel City FC
Full nameAngel City Football Club
FoundedJuly 21, 2020 (2020-07-21)
StadiumBanc of California Stadium[1]
Founders
PresidentJulie Uhrman
LeagueNational Women's Soccer League
WebsiteClub website

The team will be the Los Angeles area's first women's professional soccer team since the Los Angeles Sol of Women's Professional Soccer folded in 2010.[3]

History

On July 21, 2020, it was announced by the National Women's Soccer League, the top flight of women's soccer in the United States, that Los Angeles would be awarded an expansion franchise for the 2022 season.[4] The team was announced with a majority female ownership group led by actress Natalie Portman, venture capitalist Kara Nortman, entrepreneur Julie Uhrman, and venture capitalist Alexis Ohanian.[4] Other founding members of the team included professional tennis player Serena Williams, actors Uzo Aduba, Jessica Chastain, America Ferrera, Jennifer Garner, and Eva Longoria, late night talk show host and YouTuber Lilly Singh, YouTuber Casey Neistat, and former members of the United States national team including Julie Foudy, Mia Hamm, Rachel Van Hollebeke, Shannon Boxx, Amanda Cromwell, Lorrie Fair, Ronnie Fair, Joy Fawcett, Angela Hucles, Shannon MacMillan, Tisha Venturini, Saskia Webber, Lauren Holiday, and Abby Wambach.[4][3]

It was also announced during the team's launch that they would be announcing their official name before the end of the year but were going to use 'Angel City' as a tentative nickname.[4] The team is also in discussions with various groups for a stadium agreement, including the LA Galaxy of Major League Soccer.[4]

In the time since the club's name was confirmed as Angel City FC on October 21, 2020, additional members of the ownership group have been announced, among them tennis great Billie Jean King, former tennis player and current tennis administrator Ilana Kloss, WNBA star Candace Parker, NHL star P. K. Subban, actress and activist Sophia Bush, Latin pop star Becky G, actor and TV host James Corden, former US men's international soccer star Cobi Jones, NFL offensive lineman Ryan Kalil, and Vlog Squad member Natalie Mariduena.[5]

Naming controversy

The announcement of the Angel City ownership group's franchise agreement caused backlash on social media among women's sports fans and particularly roller derby fans[6] due to the existence of the Angel City Derby, a top-ten WFTDA organization. On October 21, 2020, the club officially confirmed that it would keep the name "Angel City Football Club".[5]

Stadium

In November 2020, it was announced the team would play its home matches at Banc of California Stadium near downtown Los Angeles.[7] Banc of California Stadium is also home to Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Football Club.

References
  1. https://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/story/2020-11-18/angel-city-banc-of-california-stadium
  2. Creditor, Avi. "NWSL L.A. Team Reveals Name, Even More High-Profile Investors". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  3. Hays, Graham (July 21, 2020). "Hollywood stars and ex-USWNT players unite to bring NWSL team to Los Angeles". ESPN. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  4. "Natalie Portman part of L.A. ownership group for NWSL expansion team in 2022". Los Angeles Times. July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  5. "Angel City Confirms Name as Angel City Football Club and Officially Joins National Women's Soccer League" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. October 21, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  6. "What Angel City Derby Has Accomplished Since 2006". July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  7. "Angel City Football Club To Play At Banc Of California Stadium In Downtown L.A." November 19, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
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