The NWSL has officially awarded an expansion franchise to a Denver-based investment group led by IMA Financial Chair & CEO Robert Cohen for a record-setting fee of $110 million. The yet-to-be-named Denver team will begin play in 2026 alongside a Boston franchise whose owners secured their spot just 16 months ago at less than half the price ($53 million).
Between the nine-figure expansion fee and the yet-to-be-determined cost of building a soccer-specific stadium and training facility, the group’s upfront financial commitment is unparalleled in women’s sports.
“This is the largest investment ever made in the history of women's sports globally, and we're really proud of that,” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman told SBJ. “We're proud of their commitment and vision and belief in what our league is and can be, and we’re very excited to bring professional women's soccer to the city of Denver..."
...CAA ICON has served as the Denver group’s management consultant for the proposed stadium project, with Populous as the architect. The franchise has also retained CAA to assist in its search for executive leadership; Legends for operations, ticketing and commercial sales; Denver-based Wunder Werkz as its creative agency; and L.A.-based Skylark for communications and marketing.
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