As Chelsea FC Women celebrated their historic treble with a commanding 3-0 win over Manchester United in the FA Cup Final, another triumph was quietly unfolding behind the scenes – one that involved tech entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian and tennis icon Serena Williams.
While Chelsea‘s dominance capped a season that also included League Cup and Women’s Super League titles, it also validated Ohanian‘s recent $26 million investment in the club. What many didn’t know, however, is that this bold financial move came despite resistance from someone very close to him – his wife.
“When I first told Serena I was gonna buy or start a women’s soccer team here in the States, she actually tried to talk me out of it,” Ohanian shared in a May 22 interview with CNN. Reflecting on her hesitation, he added,
“I think she had been so exposed to the infrastructure around women’s sports… Because of her lived experience, she actually was trying to talk me out of it because she had to kick down a lot of doors.”
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, has long been vocal about the inequality and lack of support women athletes face, even at the top of their game. Her reluctance, it seems, was grounded in realism – shaped by years of pushing through barriers in a system that offered little initial backing for women’s sports.
Ohanian’s gamble aligns with Chelsea’s historic rise
Despite her concerns, Ohanian pushed forward. In May 2024, he became a minority stakeholder in Chelsea FC Women, acquiring roughly 10 percent of the club. His timing couldn’t have been better.
Just two days before the FA Cup final, Ohanian posted on Instagram, declaring, “The club just became the most valuable women’s team in the world-and that doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you’ve got elite athletes, people willing to bet big on them, and bold leadership that is ready to build.”
This isn’t Ohanian‘s first foray into women’s sports. He’s been part of the ownership group at Angel City FC in the National Women’s Soccer League since 2022 and has consistently advocated for building platforms that elevate women athletes. Still, Williams‘ apprehension is rooted in experience.
At the New York Times DealBook summit in 2024, she spoke about how women’s sports have been consistently overlooked: “I always say that women’s sports is not having a moment – it’s always been there. Women athletes have always been around, we’ve always been amazing and we’ve always been great. You guys are just noticing.”
Yet in a compelling twist, Williams has now joined the investor ranks herself. In March 2025, it was revealed that she is part-owner of the Toronto Tempo, a new WNBA franchise set to launch in 2026 – the first WNBA team based outside the United States.
Sharing the news online, Williams posted, “New court, new game. I am incredibly excited to join the @torontotempo as the team’s newest owner.” She added, “This moment is not just about basketball; it is about showcasing the true value and potential of female athletes – I have always said that women’s sports are an incredible investment opportunity.”
What began as a moment of caution has evolved into mutual belief. Ohanian and Williams may have approached women’s sports from different angles, but both now stand as high-profile investors shaping its future – proving that backing female athletes is not just the right move, but a smart one.
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