May 4, 2022 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – NJ/NY Gotham FC News Release
HARRISON, N.J. – NJ/NY Gotham FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) announced that Thirty Five Ventures (35V), co-founded by two-time NBA Champion Kevin Durant and entrepreneur Rich Kleiman have joined as minority investors of the club. Since March, 35V has been the third group of investors to take a stake in the franchise, joining fellow minority owners Kristin Bernert and Karen Bryant in March and Carli Lloyd in April.
“As a New York-based company, the opportunity for us to partner with a forward-thinking team like Gotham FC was a no brainer,” said 35V co-founder Rich Kleiman. “There’s been so much growth in the NWSL in recent years, and the chance to be a part of that growth and work directly with the Gotham FC executive team and players is really exciting,”
The investment includes additional partnership elements such as content creation, social media support, player relations, and community outreach. This follows 35V’s previous partnerships in women’s sports, including an investment in media network Just Women’s Sports and a strategic partnership with pro sports league Athletes Unlimited, where Durant and Kleiman serve as board members. It is also the company’s second investment in a professional soccer team after acquiring an ownership stake in Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union in June 2020.
“Bringing in Kevin, Rich, and 35V as investors is a huge statement about the positive trajectory of our club,” said Tammy Murphy, Club Chair, Gotham FC. “The level of enthusiasm they’ve displayed has been above and beyond anything we could have anticipated. We have tremendous aspirations this year both on and off the field and, together with 35V’s support and resources, we’re going to make sure New Jersey and New York hear all about it!”
“This is another big step forward for our franchise,” said Ed Nalbandian, Managing Owner, Gotham FC. “Kevin and Rich are two of the…