Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian buys £20m stake in Chelsea Women

Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of the social media platform Reddit and husband of the tennis legend Serena Williams, says he has invested within the Chelsea ladies’s crew to be able to “finally match their talent with the resources and respect they deserve”.

It used to be reported previous on Wednesday that the American entrepreneur had purchased a 10% stake within the Women’s Super League champions for £20m and, whilst there was no reliable remark from Chelsea, Ohanian showed the inside track on social media.

“I’ve bet big on women’s sports before – and I’m doing it again,” he wrote on LinkedIn. “I’m proud to announce that I’m joining Chelsea Women FC as an investor and board member. I’m honoured for the chance to help this iconic club become every American’s favourite WSL team and much, much more.”

Sonia Bompastor’s facet – who didn’t lose a unmarried league fixture this time period – will bid to finish a home treble after they meet Manchester United at Wembley within the Women’s FA Cup ultimate on Sunday, and Ohanian stated: “These players are rewriting the game. Undefeated season. Eyes on the treble. But this isn’t just about winning titles. It’s about finally matching their talent with the resources, visibility and respect they deserve. I’ve been right about this before and I couldn’t be more excited.”

The 42-year-old additionally praised the Chelsea ladies’s leader govt, Aki Mandhar, announcing: “Her integrity and focus on a standard of excellence were a huge factor in why this was such a ‘hell yes’-type investment.”

Ohanian additionally perceived to endorse the reported £20m determine, initially reported within the Times, through replying to a submit on X that quoted £20m with the phrases: “Up the Chels!”

That funding values the ladies’s arm of the membership at £200m, the similar valuation that used to be given when the membership’s dad or mum corporate bought the ladies’s membership to a comparable corporate, Blueco 22 Midco Ltd, remaining June, in an obvious effort to verify the boys’s crew complied with the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability regulations for remaining season.

Ohanian in the past invested within the Los Angeles-based unbiased ladies’s soccer membership, Angel City, which used to be bought remaining 12 months for an NWSL-record-breaking $250m to the Disney leader govt, Bob Iger.