Minnesota Women's Soccer Becomes First Community-Owned Women's Team In U.S.
Video is from Aug. 21, 2021
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Minnesota Women's Soccer, a pre-professional team, started selling community ownership shares on Wednesday, becoming the first women's sports team in the country to be community-owned.
The team is one of the founding members of the USL W League, which has the goal of strengthening the pipeline between college and professional soccer and in turn increase opportunity and gender equity within the sport. College players who have their season in the fall will have the chance to play in the league during the spring and summer, together with former women's soccer players and even athletes from Europe.
Community ownership shares start at $100, with a maximum share of $10,000. Owners will be able to vote on the team name, logo, and will elect two representatives to the Board of Directors.
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"Our initial response from the community as been overwhelming. People have been so excited about it, and we know that there are a lot of players, a lot of talented players in Minnesota and surrounding states and we hope to provide the best environment for them so they're going to want to come to Minnesota for the summer," said President and Co-Founder Andrea Yoch in a WCCO interview in August.
Yoch added that a club owner "can really be anybody who believes in giving opportunities to women."
The team will begin competition in 2022 as part of USL W League's inaugural season.