CHICAGO, IL–Los Angeles FC has made is fashionable to have an ownership group that includes a who’s who various walks of life. Seattle Sounders FC followed suit. So have other teams in the NWSL. Now, the Chicago Red Stars have added depth to their ownership group announced on Monday. Joining majority owner Arnim Whisler and founding members Dean Egerter and Steve Ricthie are athletes like Chicago Bears defensive end Israel Idonije; US Women’s Hockey star, gold medalist, and Palos Heights, IL native Kendall Coyne-Schofield; Emmy and Peabody Award-winning sports journalist Sarah Spain; music executive Colleen Mares; NFL marketing leader Julie Haddon, and local entrepreneur Marie Tillman among others.
“We’ve begun the process of building a singular, powerful team that spans from the pitch to the boardroom. This group is more than mere investors. Everyone involved cares deeply about the city of Chicago and the success of the Chicago Red Stars, the NWSL, and women’s sports. It’s time for the Red Stars to shine even brighter,” says Whisler.
“We are pleased to welcome this powerhouse group. We’ve already shown we can consistently excel in the NWSL, the top league in the world, but we have our sights set on a bigger impact in Chicago and on the international stage.”
This is the latest in including star power to ownership groups in the sport. Recently, Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka became part of the ownership group of the North Carolina Courage. Daughters of former Presidents Chelsea Clinton and Jenna Bush Hager are both investors of the Washington Spirit. With the Red Stars, it’s about maintaining a stronger local identity.
“You have this central idea and identity,” said Collenen Mares, who manages Chance the Rapper, to the Chicago Tribune, “but you have the ability to mobilize these arms that know all these different things and bring in all this experience, which is a really unique thing to have and a really powerful weapon to be able to use to grow the club.”
The Red Stars ownership group now includes:
- Jessie Becker
- Dean Egerter (founding member)
- Julie Haddon
- Israel Idonije
- Jordan Levin
- Abel Lezcano
- Colleen Mares
- Michael Raimondi
- Steve Ritchie (founding member)
- Kendall Coyne Schofield
- Michael Schofield
- Sarah Spain
- Marie Tillman
- Brian Walsh
- Arnim Whisler (founding member)
- Kevin Willer
- David M. Zapata
The Red Stars begin their ninth season in the NWSL and 13th overall this April.
