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Oscar Winner Natalie Portman and A-List Celebrities Transform Angel City Into One of the Best Women’s Soccer Teams in Just a Year of Professional Play

Published 10/31/2023, 2:52 PM EDT

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Women’s soccer has become the sport of choice for Hollywood elites. You can now start ditching your Lakers’ tickets in favor of trying to get a bird’s eye view of Angel City Football Club. The club has been on a white-hot publicity streak since being led by an all-girl group of owners.

Notable members include Hollywood actress and activist Natalie Portman, as well as business leaders Kara Nortman and Julie Uhrman. Although the team has been actively playing for just a year, they have much to be grateful for. Moreover, amazing performances from Christen Press and Ali Riley are seeing more interest in the team as well as the sport – both on the field and in the board room.

How Portman Changed Angel City

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The team has a modest but decent starting line-up on the field. However, it’s the owners’ box during home games where you see some heavy hitters. The team’s investors include a star-studded group of Jessica Chastain, Eva Longoria, Gabrielle Union, and Jennifer Garner among others. In addition to Hollywood contingent, notable figures like Christina Aguilera and Becky G, as well as athletes Billie Jean King, Abby Wambach, and Mia Hamm, are also part of the ownership group.

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Portman was tempted by the prospect of buying a club after her work with the Time’s Up movement. The movement strived to get equal pay for women and men in Hollywood. Beyond the movement, her decision was influenced by her children’s affinity for soccer. Portman now aims to bring women’s soccer to the same level of passion, reverence, and celebrity that diehard fans display for men’s soccer.

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“I never thought I would be involved in a professional sports team. But co-founding ACFC has been one of the great joys of my life,” the Oscar-winning actress said. She adds that she feels very rewarded when her kids bring up Christen Press with the same passion and enthusiasm as they show for Lebron.

What the Owners Think

Meanwhile, co-owner Kara Nortman has her own set of goals for the exciting club. Her priorities include paying the players an equal wage as the men, packing the stadium with fans eager to watch women’s football, and making Angel City as big a club as Liverpool FC. Julie Uhrman also shared that women’s sport is not only fun but also good business!

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Angel City stadiums are definitely packed at the moment, with six different factions among the club’s fanbase. In fact, each club has its own set of songs, chants, drums, and banners. The club and the atmosphere it beholds are truly a testament to how well Angel City FC’s owners care and understand the business of women’s soccer. Here’s wishing them bigger and better things for the future.

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Written by:

Kenneth Soares

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Kenneth Soares is a writer for Viral Sports Moments at EssentiallySports with a penchant for all things sports. He has previously worked in world news, with a focus on US events and geopolitical stories. Kenneth's favorite superstars include Edge, Rey Mysterio and AEW star MJF.
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Edited by:

Arnima Shukla