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Thirty Five Ventures, an investment company founded by Kevin Durant and business partner Rich Kleiman, announced an investment in NWSL club NJ/NY Gotham FC Tuesday.
Durant and Kleiman have been active in investing in franchises in recent years, buying an ownership stake in Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union in 2020. The investment also expands their footprint in women’s sports.
The pair serve as board members of women’s professional sports league network Athletes Unlimited, alongside Jessica Mendoza, Taylor Rooks, Abby Wambach and others. They also have partnership deals with media network Just Women’s Sports.
Gotham FC won its 2022 regular-season opener on Sunday, beating the Orlando Pride 3–0. The team returns to the pitch on Saturday at the San Diego Wave, before making their home debut against the NC Courage at Red Bull Arena on Saturday, May 14.
The team features a number of notable stars, including Ashlyn Harris, Ali Krieger, Kristie Mewis.
Carli Lloyd, who played for the franchise from 2018 to ’21, bought a small ownership stake in the team earlier this year as well. Tammy Murphy is the club’s chair and has owned the club along with her husband, New Jersey governor Phil Murphy, since its founding as Sky Blue FC in 2008.
