When her husband Alexis Ohanian first proposed investing in women’s football, Williams had her reservations. “Because of her lived experience, she actually tried to talk me out of it — she had to kick down a lot of doors,” the Reddit co-founder said. But the 23-time Grand Slam winner has gradually changed her view over time.
When Alexis Ohanian first put forward the idea of investing in women’s football, Serena Williams was wary.
The tennis great had reservations as someone who has spent the best part of her life on the other side of the wall as a player.
“When I first told Serena I was going to buy or start a women’s soccer team here in the States, she actually tried to talk me out of it,” he told CNN Sports.
“I think she had been 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.”
The 23-time Grand Slam winner has gradually changed her view over time, however, becoming her own pillar of growth for women’s sports.
A key investor in National Women’s Soccer League side Angel City, and most recently WNBA team Toronto Tempo, Williams is looking to change the game pulling on her own experience.
With the news of her WNBA exploits, she said: “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.”
Ohanian has been encouraged to do something similar, founding Athlos in 2024, which is a women’s-only track and field event.
One year later and he has taken his desire to invest in women’s sports global, becoming a minority stake holder and board member of Chelsea.
“This investment isn’t just in the clubs, it’s in the surrounding infrastructure that’s going to flow through every level of women’s sports,” he said.
The husband and wife duo were in attendance at Wembley Stadium earlier this month to watch the English side complete a domestic treble with a win in the FA Cup final.
Serena chose a blue outfit for the occasion but was happy to meet Man United and USWNT keeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce: "I wear Chelsea Blue but pro woman on my heart," she wrote in a post.
