Caitlin Clark joins NWSL Cincinnati ownership group | Wilnesh News

Caitlin Clark has joined an ownership group looking to create a National Women’s Soccer League team in Cincinnati, Ohio.

cincinnati becoming more and more popular These cities are hoping to become the NWSL’s 16th franchise, with other potential outposts including Denver, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Nashville.

“The NWSL Cincinnati bid team is excited to have Caitlin Clark join our ownership group in its commitment to bringing a women’s professional soccer team to our city,” the NWSL Cincinnati bid team wrote in a statement.

“Her passion for the game, commitment to elevating women’s sports in Greater Cincinnati and beyond, and her influence as an athlete and role model for women and girls around the world make her an important addition to our roster as our 16th team. components.

The league currently has 14 teams, including the Boston-based BOS Nation Football Club Set up to join 2026 season.

Bay FC played its first season this year, spending $53 million cover NWSL Expansion Fee. Sixth Street Investments, the club’s majority owner, agreed to invest a total of $125 million in the team.

Cleveland, perhaps Cincinnati’s biggest rival for the league’s 16th spot, has reportedly purchased 13.6 acres of state-owned land in downtown Cleveland to build a 12,500-seat stadium expected to cost about $150 million. .

Clark, a rising star at the University of Iowa, has risen through the ranks of the Women’s National Basketball Association, contributing to the highest-rated television season in the league’s history. Clark won the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year award as the Indiana Fever guard capped off a horrific year that saw him set multiple WNBA records, including most assists in a season (337) and most three-pointers made by a rookie ( 122 times).

The NWSL declined to comment on Clark’s involvement with the Cincinnati ownership group.

—CNBC’s Jessica Golden contributed to this report.