Former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning acquires ownership share in Denver's National Women's Soccer League expansion club.
Peyton Manning Makes a Splash in Women's Soccer with Denvers Expansion Team
Hall-of-Famer and former NFL star Peyton Manning is the latest big name to dive into women's soccer. On Tuesday, he announced his ownership stake in Denver's upcoming NWSL expansion team.
The renowned Denver Broncos quarterback described the opportunity as an honor, calling it significant for the Colorado community in a press release on the team's official website. Denver becomes the latest city to join the National Women's Soccer League, with recent expansions in Boston, San Diego, and San Francisco's Bay Area.
Joining forces with his brother, Eli Manning, Peyton now shares ownership of a NWSL team, as the latter is part-owner of New York/New Jersey's Gotham FC. The team clinched the league championship in 2023.
In a playful video announcing the news, the brothers seemed to be in a friendly rivalry, with Peyton teasing Eli about the lesser competition he'd face in the women's league. Gotham FC's official account responded with a joke about a new rivalry emerging.
Denver's entry into the league reportedly broke records for the highest expansion fee, with the Denver ownership group paying a whopping $110 million. This quickly eclipses Boston's expense from just over a year ago.
Peyton Manning - a two-time Super Bowl winner with the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos - heads the ownership group, joined by Olympic skier Mikaela Shiffrin.
Rob Cohen, the team's majority owner, praised Peyton's legendary status in a press release, stating that his impact on Colorado sports is unrivaled. He expressed confidence in Peyton's contributions to the Denver NWSL's future.
Other notable athletes investing in the NWSL include WNBA legend Sue Bird, NBA star Kevin Durant, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife Brittany Mahomes, and tennis superstar Serena Williams. Notably, Alex Morgan, a World Cup Champion and former San Diego Wave player, recently invested in her hometown San Diego Wave team.
With Peyton Manning's addition, the wave of popular sports figures investing in women's soccer continues to rise, bringing more recognition and support to the league.
Peyton Manning, with his background in American football, has expanded his sports ventures by investing in Denver's upcoming National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) expansion team. His brother, Eli Manning, already owns part of New York/New Jersey's Gotham FC team that competes in American-football counterpart NFL, the National Football League.
