https://bsky.app/profile/jeffkassouf.bsky.social/post/3md2jkvxg322q Kassouf is saying $2m/year. If so, outstanding! First, not sure how this applies only to the liberal fan base. To me, it is a question to the fans of the women's game. Beyond that, depends on how it is used. We have a female billionaire owner here in Denver, and the club are putting money into the team. Like at KC, there is a dedicated WoSo stadium being built, along with training facilities. That is the right direction. And I note that "female" part should be important as it signals that women are investing in women, and this is what I'm seeing with Kang. Beyond that, there are likely things that a female investing in a female sport will see and do that are different than what men would do. Even if it is just to make money, it will be slightly different. And in this case, it will still be making money in women's sport. All that aside, owners will be owners, and even if the league had 16 female billionaire owners, that is still 16 female billionaires putting their money into women's sport. (And for all this focus on Kang's putting money in WoSo, she also puts money in other areas of women's sport. Specifically, I'm thinking USA Rugby.)
see your point but Kang does manage an private equity firm(which in my view sucked dry the average American more than anything else)
Just want to complain about all the people on X (not so much Bluesky) doing the "Dennis Rodman should be proud" or something like that. People, welcome to NWSL, but she is Trinity Rodman, alone. Recognize her for that. Okay, rant over.
The stupidity level on X (twitter) is only exceeded by the number of stars in this galaxy. There is so much stupidity that I have not even logged on to it for several years. X (and all the anti-social media sources) are only useful to find out what the lowest common denominator for intelligence in the world. I assume that everything written on anti-social media is false unless supported by at least three other independent sources. However I know from the direct interviews I have read that Dennis and Trinity have almost no contact and his overblown ego and self importance is so excessive that he makes Trump look like modest person. He was a great basketball player, whenever he decided that playing was worthwhile, but he is a despicable human being (maybe) with absolutely no real intelligence. You know I wish that Trinity had changed her name before entering soccer so I would not be reminded of her father's antics every time I hear her name. (I know that is my fault but I was a basketball fan throughout much, maybe most, of his tenure and his lack of class was evident throughout that period. The good thing for me is that he has fallen so far out of my radar field that I do not even know for sure is he is still alive. But he did produce at least one great "new" person in Trinity. I wonder if it was dad or mom or someone else who named her.
I do not see how any of these moves make economic sense. It feels a bit like LIV golf. A loss leader that is part of a portfolio of businesses that benefit indirectly from the association with women's sports. If there is a salary cap, I don't see how spending a huge percentage on one position group benefits the team. Let's see who the next big ticket is. Sports have changed so much.
Quote from a Guardian article got me thinking: "...she was understood to have received lucrative offers from Europe, which the Spirit were unable to initially match under the NWSL’s salary cap rules." Considering the clubs are not mentioned, there is a chance that these offers could have come from Kang's clubs in Europe (LCL & OL). Could this be Kang trying to pressure the NWSL to open up the coffers a bit more in a very shadowy way?
I saw an image of appreciation that Dennis gave to Trinity shortly after the news broke. Looked for it yesterday for a while and couldn't find it. Surprised me as it was very uncharacteristic of him (made it all about Trinity and also advancing WoSo). I'm still wondering if it was a fake... Most I have seen seem to think it was Chelsea and/or Arsenal and/or Man City. The only one of those I can see is Arsenal. I would be surprised if OL made an offer, even if it is Kang since they are stacked in attack. And even if LCL somehow make the top 3, and considering the WSL that is a big question, there is still divestment issues since Kang owns LCL and OL and she can't have both teams in the Champions League as owner. Mind, in all of this, I think Hayes had inside knowledge that Rodman was always going to sign for Washington since she got called into camp (and that Coffey did not).
I would be amazed if Arsenal made an offer. Not the type of player they usually have interest in. Too expensive, not clear what she adds on the field to that group and brings her own "brand" to a Club that seems to value the collective over the individual.
I agree, which all of this really weird. Other than at an NWSL club, all of the other clubs that could afford her (or be willing to pay that much) don't really seem to have a reason to sign her.
I think her agents played a blinder. They managed to create the illusion of a bidding war that never truly existed. The Spirit backed themselves into a corner and ended up having to bid against themselves for an asset whose "value" to other teams was not as high. She is a "face" in the NWSL and it felt like the League had a responsibility to keep her here that fell on the Spirit. I think she has an exciting profile as a player, but if pay was correlated to impact, she would not be in my top 20 highest paid players. That said, pay is all about maximising the current situation and her agents did that very well. I wonder what Bethune and her people think? Well played!
I actually think it was more of Kang v. Berman. Kang, DC management, Rodman, her agent, the league, the fans...just about everybody wanted Rodman to stay in the NWSL, and I think everybody knew it would be with Washington. The only hold up in the process was Berman, and in that regard, I wonder if it was more the NWSLPA threat that a foreign team. I'm not a labor lawyer or knowledgeable in that area in any way, but I wonder if the threats by the PA could have led to some bigger problem with the union (from the league perspective, not the player perspective) allowing more of a diminishing of the salary cap to some lesser or greater degree.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_...igns-florida-state-star-jordynn-dudley-source Gotham signs Florida State star Jordynn Dudley - source Jeff Kassouf Jan. 26, 2026 Two national championships in three years at FSU. 34 goals. Forgoes her last year to turn pro. Accorxding to article, she was considered to be the best prospect of this years college talent. Is already with Gotham in England. She was a regular player on the U-20 team in 2024.
If she can learn to manage her emotions well, which she seems to be doing better as time passes, I think she will be one of the best of her generation.
there is an backlash brewing though over Kang taking over too much of woso Michele Kang’s largesse for women’s football leaves Fifa open to bias claims | Women's football | The Guardian
Largesse is a strange word choice, given the battles that have been fought over equality Largesse (pronounced lahr-ZHEHS or lahr-JEHS) refers to the generous giving of money, gifts, or favors, often implying a lavish, superior-to-inferior, or, in some contexts, patronizing bestowal. It originates from Old French, implying "liberality," and is used to describe excessive generosity or bountiful donations, such as "federal, corporate, or political largesse".
I call bullshit. As he correctly notes: Those close to the businesswoman feel it is clear that Kang’s motives are entirely innocent. She has also donated $4m to the USA women’s rugby sevens team. The global rise of women’s sport is her vision. It is clear her team feel nothing could be further from her mind, when financially investing in this tournament, than personal gain. There is also a sense across the women’s game that it is different to men’s football, when it comes to the prospect of accepting cash from club owners, because it is in such need of investors and the sport is in a growing phase. But he also says: There are other potential examples, too, which should make Fifa wary of having entered into this deal. What if Gotham win this week’s $2.3m prize fund, subsequently offer to sign a player from Washington Spirit, and Kang’s negotiating team can ask for a bigger price, knowing the Fifa prize money has helped boost Gotham’s cash budget for any such signing? Everybody knows that the winner will get $2.3m. Why use Washington as an example. Why not use, I don't know, Manchester City instead, on either side. Or Portland, since we all know they just got $850k from Manchester City. It's the nature of the business to know the other team's transfer budget, and interest to get as much for their team as possible. Kang is investing money, as a woman, where the men in the sport are, almost entirely, not. And this is all about how a woman with money is putting her money into the sport. Of course she wants to come away with net positives on the bottom line, but not everything she is doing is selfish. Where is the criticism of the numerous examples in the men's game where this is present, while only focusing on a single woman. No, while he intends this to be somehow fair, it comes across as sexist and an attack on Kang.
Most soccer Clubs run at a significant operating loss and the return, if any, comes on sale. I would love to hear more from the established Clubs that are investing in Women's Soccer, and the reasons some, like Liverpool, are not. Unlikely, but it would provide some clarity. The use of the word largesse, in my opinion, underscores your last sentence. It feels like a deliberate choice to frame her investments as a charitable donation to a lower class that does not really deserve it.
@soccernutter I am sort of with you and sort of not. I do not attribute any ill motive to Kang, she clearly is a women's sports advocate -- as am I. On the other hand, I spent the middle half of my life working in and around government. All the evidence I have seen says that power corrupts. I don't say that as a negative judgment about those who have power nor do I intend it as cynical, it simply is an evidence-based observation. In fact, for practical purposes I consider it a law of nature, something to be accepted, aware of, and responded to appropriately. I actually gave up dreams of a life in politics because of it. The environment around those with power simply is too strong to completely withstand. So in this particular context, I am thankful but also alert. I think that is a good attitude.
Oh, yeah, power does corrupt. And I do understand that. But there are things she is doing that is not in her benefit, obviously directly. Things like donating to US Women's Rugby and the Kang Center at US Soccer. That said, she also appears to be a shrewd business woman, so I'm sure there is some foresight in her decisions as well. IOW, I think she is doing much as both a benefit but also as an investment.
https://sandiegowavefc.com/san-diego-wave-fc-acquires-colombian-goalkeeper-luisa-agudelo/ San Diego Wave FC Acquires Colombian Goalkeeper Luisa Agudelo Jan. 27, 2026 This is a big transfer for the league as Agudelo's one of the hottest GK prospects in the world. I only know her from watching the World's 7 last Dec. she made a bunch of saves in one of the games. Was a back-up at the Copa last summer.
Eva Gaetino (PSG) ----------------------------> Denver Summit FC The funny bit is that PSG has this announced yesterday, but Denver only this morning.
Also, Pauline Peyraud-Magnin (Juventus) --------------------------> Denver Summit FC Why am I posting? Because her name popped up on the Denver Summit FC app list of players. blissett says: