Mia Hamm is part-owner of the new Los Angeles MLS team. (USA Today Images)
It’s been a busy week for United States women’s soccer legend Mia Hamm, who on Thursday was unveiled as one of 22 owners of the new Los Angeles MLS team set to begin play in 2017. Other owners include NBA legend Magic Johnson, Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan and former MLB player Nomar Garciaparra, who is Hamm’s husband. Hamm is the only woman.
Earlier in the week, Hamm was nominated to the board of directors of one of Italy’s most famous clubs, AS Roma.
The 42-year-old Hamm helped the United States to two World Cup titles, including the inaugural edition in 1991 in China, and won the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year award in 2001 and 2002 – the first two times that honor was given.
Hamm is not a club investor, Roma said.
On Thursday, Major League Soccer announced revealed the ownership of its new LA team, which will replace CD Chivas USA after 10 tumultuous seasons. Chivas USA played its final game as a franchise on Sunday — a 1-0 win over San Jose — before MLS officially announced the club will cease operations immediately.
The club is currently operating under the name LAFC, but that is a holder name. The team’s name and brand identity will be revealed at a later date. It is in search of a site to build a soccer-specific stadium in the Los Angeles area. Chivas USA spent all 10 years at the StubHub (formerly the Home Depot Center) in Carson, Calif., as the second tenant to the LA Galaxy, for whom the stadium was built in 2003.
Some have wondered why Hamm isn’t investing in an NWSL club. She says the timing wasn’t right when the league started.
“I would probably say when the NWSL started, I probably wasn’t ready to make that commitment,” Hamm said, via SB Nation.
“That would be awesome in my opinion. We haven’t talked about that, quite yet. I think our focus is, every step, making this the best club possible. But I think that would be wonderful, and especially [as] we continue to grow the NWSL, and this is a great spot. So many girls are playing in the greater Los Angeles area. It would make sense to have that.”
This is your team. You decide its future. Logo, team name, kits – we want to hear from you. #LAFC2017 pic.twitter.com/4ocakRVUlL
— LAFC (@LAFC) October 30, 2014
