Soccer moms drive growth of women’s football in the United States

Kara Nortman, a venture‑capital partner and mother of three, turned a trip to the 2015 Women’s World Cup with her daughters into a catalyst for major investment in U.S. women’s soccer, co‑founding Angel City Football Club and the women‑focused fund Monarch Collective [1].

Key takeaways

• Nortman’s experience searching for a jersey for her daughter sparked the idea for a women‑led soccer franchise [1].
• Angel City FC, launched in 2019 with Hollywood partners, is the first majority‑female‑owned professional sports team in the country [1].
• Monarch Collective is positioned as the first dedicated women’s sports fund, targeting teams, leagues and media rights [1].
• Grassroots “scrimmage” play, often organized by parents, emphasizes self‑regulation and inclusive participation, reflecting a broader cultural shift toward feminist‑aligned sport experiences [2].

From a Mom’s Quest to a Franchise Founder

During the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Nortman took her three young daughters to the final, where the youngest tried on a defender’s jersey and sparked Nortman’s frustration at the lack of merchandise between World Cups [1]. Her search for a Meghan Klingenberg jersey led her to discover the National Women’s Soccer League, a competition she had never heard of before [1]. The experience, described by Nortman as “joyfully irritated,” became the informal market research that motivated her to create a product and community for women’s soccer fans.

In 2019, while her youngest was six, Nortman teamed up with Julie Uhrman and actress Natalie Portman to launch Angel City FC, a club built on the premise of female ownership and leadership [1]. The club quickly rose to become the most valuable women’s soccer team globally, signaling investor confidence in the market potential of the sport. Simultaneously, Nortman founded Monarch Collective, a private‑equity platform dedicated to accelerating equity in global sport by investing in teams, leagues, and media rights [1].

Grassroots Play Mirrors the Professional Push

Beyond elite investment, the rise of informal “scrimmage” games organized by parents illustrates how soccer is becoming more inclusive at the community level. Participants report that self‑refereed play encourages accountability, slower pacing reduces injuries, and fluid team structures foster camaraderie without a win‑loss focus [2]. These grassroots experiences align with the feminist perspective that values participation and empowerment over competition, reinforcing the cultural momentum behind women’s soccer.

Why it matters

Nortman’s journey shows how personal experiences of soccer‑moms can translate into large‑scale investment and structural change in the sport. By coupling professional franchise development with community‑driven play, the movement creates a pipeline from backyard games to professional stadiums, expanding the fan base and attracting capital. As Monarch Collective seeks further opportunities in teams, leagues, and media rights, the influence of soccer‑moms is likely to grow, shaping the future landscape of U.S. football both on and off the field.