A year before the club starts play, the LOVB San Francisco ownership group is expanding with notable names from soccer icon Julie Foudy to Warriors coach Steve Kerr.
LOVB announced the expansion club late last year with a women-led group that included Rebel Girls CEO Jes Wolfe, Olympic volleyball medalist Kelsey Robinson Cook and Bay FC co-founders Leslie Osborne, Brandi Chastain and Danielle Slaton.
The club’s announcement includes the addition of more than two dozen new owners, including ESPN journalist Holly Rowe and Fever G Lexie Hull. Kerr’s investment comes along with his family, including daughter Maddy Kerr Hyde, a former UC Berkeley volleyball player.
LOVB declined to share financial details on the deal, but multiple sources told SBJ‘s Chris Smith that the league has been seeking $20M or more for expansion teams. With a business that spans youth clubs to its pro league, LOVB has proven appealing to investors.
Alexis Ohanian’s Seven Seven Six, David Blitzer’s Bolt Ventures and the owners of the Spurs and Texans have recently bought ownership stakes in LOVB pro clubs.
The newest owners in S.F. span sports, business, culture and media.
Other new members of the ownership group include:
YK Kim, former professional volleyball player and three-time Olympian Chelsea Poppens, former professional basketball player Rachel Springate and Assia Grazioli Venier of Muse Capital/ Muse Sport Christina Miller, creative and business executive Glenn Cole, founder of 72andSunny and Jennifer Cole, education leaderEvin Shutt; global CEO of 72andSunnyLynn Jurich, founder and CEO of The Female Longevity InstituteLeah Solivan, founder of TaskRabbit and managing director of Precedent.vcHillary Murphy of the Mirnahill FoundationLeslie Witt, tech executiveCourtney Diesel O’Donnell, tech and social impact leaderHuckleberry “Huck” Holz, MD, investor and eye surgeonCindy Mock, design executive and Patrick Mock, entertainment & hospitality executiveNeha Jogani Narang, tech & innovation executive Arlene Villanueva Unverzagt and Aaron Unverzagt, marketing & tech entrepreneursDave Russell, portfolio manager Alan Razzaghi and Winnie Tong, food entrepreneurs Mike Su, entrepreneur Kristen Gambetta, sports marketing executive Kim Rubey, women’s empowerment advocate and women’s sports investor Magdalena “Mags” Kala, sports executiveKatie Markov, technology and innovation executive, founderSamantha Hoag, tech operator and investor
LOVB San Francisco will begin play in January.