• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Sue Bird, Eli Manning Bring Gotham FC to $40M Valuation

  • Sue Bird and Eli Manning have joined Gotham FC as investors.
  • The investment puts the NWSL team at a reported $40 million valuation.
Gotham-FC-players-clapping-to-fans
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Gotham FC has reportedly set a new record for the NWSL by hitting a $40 million valuation.

Sue Bird and Eli Manning have joined USWNT legend Carli Lloyd, Kevin Durant’s Thirty Five Ventures, and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and wife Tammy Murphy as investors. 

Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but Bird’s deal reportedly requires her to serve as an advisor to the NJ/NY team.

  • Bird, who will retire from the WNBA at the end of the season after playing 19 seasons for the Seattle Storm, is a New York native.
  • Manning retired following the NFL’s 2019 season after 16 seasons as a New York Giants quarterback. He rejoined the team last June with a role in business operations and fan engagement.

Gotham FC isn’t Bird’s first investment. The five-time gold medalist has a stake in fitness equipment maker Tonal — which reached a $1.6 billion valuation last year — and co-owns media production company Togethxr with Alex Morgan, Chloe Kim, and Simone Manuel. 

Manning is a partner of private equity firm Brand Velocity Group.

League Love

Other NWSL teams also have high-profile athlete investors. Angel City FC’s ownership group includes Abby Wambach, Mia Hamm, and Serena Williams, while Naomi Osaka is an investor in the North Carolina Courage.

The NWSL has rights deals with Amazon and CBS until 2024, reportedly worth $2.5 million. The league’s first collective bargaining agreement was struck earlier this year, which calls for a $100 million investment by team owners.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Amazon NASCAR Ratings Down 17%, but Skew Younger

Prime Video averaged 2.16 million per race during its five-event stretch.
Jun 22, 2025; Cromwell, Connecticut, USA; Scottie Scheffler plays his shot from the first tee during the final round of the Travelers Championship golf tournament.

PGA Tour’s $20M Signature Events Finish 2025 Season Up in TV Ratings

The Travelers Championship was the last of eight elevated events this year.
Dec 27, 2024; San Diego, CA, USA; The Washington State Cougars ban perform during the second half at the Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit:

Pac-12 Announces CBS As ‘Anchor’ in New Media-Rights Deal

The league may announce expansion before finalizing the rest of the package.
exclusive

LeBron James’s Growing Amazon Ties Could Lead to Prime Role

James has praised Prime’s NBA talent hires for the 2025–26 season.

Featured Today

The Battle Over Wimbledon’s Ambitious Expansion Plan

A classic NIMBY standoff on one of the most hallowed grounds in sports.
Seattle Rough & Tumble
June 28, 2025

Women’s Sports Bars Are on the Rise. Survival Isn’t Guaranteed

Some women’s sports bars are cashing in. Others are clawing for funding.
June 27, 2025

Shitposters Have Taken the Reins of Pro Sports’ Official Voices

Meet the social media pros turning sports teams into internet trolls.
Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena
June 26, 2025

Stanley Cup’s International Summer Tour: Rules, Repairs, and Raucousness

No pro trophy tour compares to the NHL’s three-month global victory lap.
Myles Turner

Pacers Sour on Paying Luxury Tax and Let Myles Turner Walk

The team had seemed willing to cross the threshold for their center.
July 1, 2025

Bucks Shock NBA World By Waiving Lillard’s $113M Deal, Signing Turner

Damian Lillard had two years left on his deal.
Manchester City
July 1, 2025

Manchester City Pockets $50 Million for Early Club World Cup Elimination

Saudi side Al-Hilal will bank at least $35 million in its quarterfinal run.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena
July 1, 2025

Panthers Lock Up Stanley Cup–Winning Core With Long-Term Deals

Hours before free agency, Florida cemented terms with their essential players.
June 30, 2025

Nuggets, Rockets Make Aggressive Moves to Challenge Thunder

Denver took the Thunder to seven games in the conference semifinals.
June 30, 2025

Cohen’s $331M Mets Spiral Into June Swoon Despite Soto Surge

Frustrations rise as the high-spending Mets have lost 13 of 16 games.
WNBA
June 27, 2025

Portland WNBA Team President Out After Just Two Months As Launch Gets..

Portland has struggled to hire a GM, according to a source.