If you’re hunting for a blueprint on how to rewrite the rules, look no further than Alexis Ohanian, the Reddit co-founder, powerhouse entrepreneur, and proud husband to Serena Williams. This man isn’t just talking the talk; he’s building legacies. Case in point? Women’s sports. His fire to elevate the game burns brighter than ever, from his bold investments to Athlos, a revolutionary, all-women’s track and field event boasting the richest prize purse in the sport. Last year, he made it loud and clear: “A lot of people are shocked by the sudden surge in valuation around women’s sports. Do you know who is definitely not shocked? Me.” Now, with full force, he’s chasing one dream that might just blaze a future path for future 18-year-old Olympia.

In a world where actions echo louder than promises, Alexis Ohanian, the beloved of Serena Williams, is shaping the sound of change with a force only a few dare to harness: capitalism. In a recent IG post, the Reddit co-founder and visionary investor laid it out plainly: “Capitalism can be a powerful force for change, and a sold out stadium for @weareangelcity is one of the best examples I’ve ever seen of it. When money talks—even the haters have to listen.” That fire isn’t just limited to women’s sports; it’s blazing across both sides of the game, reshaping the business of belief and breaking old myths wide open.

As Olympia, his daughter with Serena Williams, grows, Ohanian sees the shift happening right before her eyes. She’s seven now, but by 18, he sees her walking into a world where balance exists in places it never did. “Ten years from now, when my oldest, Olympia, is 18, I think most of the major sports will be seeing quite comparable pay. This is what I think is the very best of Capitalism,” he added. It’s a future he’s not just predicting, he’s building it, brick by brick, investment by investment.

Rewind to 2019, and the noise was deafening. “Back in March in 19, when everyone started telling me, Oh no one watches women’s sports, you’re gonna waste all your money,” he recalled. But then the tides turned, and the critics were silenced. “The loudest detractors had to take a seat once they saw 22,000 people in a sold-out crowd for Angel City’s opener.” 

In 2020, he went all in, becoming a founding investor and the largest shareholder of Angel City FC. Fast forward to 2024, the team was sold for a stunning $250 million. Talk about flipping the script. And if there was any doubt left, Ohanian crushed it with words that cut through: 

“Capitalism can be a tremendous force for social change and I think this is one of the great examples of it. It gives me some hope to see this thing that I know that is not always meant for social progress in a demonstrable way to prove, yes, these women deserve it.” He wrapped it with truth sharp as steel: “The folks who believe in women sports, they were on board, the folks who weren’t, probably though no amount of coercion would have, and if you have that many people paying attention, and that many dollars flowing into in these teams, you now have to just get take your seat and say okay, yeah, I guess, I was wrong. Like Ball, Don’t lie, this money doesn’t lie.”

And while the 42-year-old now hopes for a revolutionary shift, not just in pay scale but across the entire women’s sports landscape, Alexis Ohanian has taken bold steps beyond Angel City FC. Most recently, he also invested in Chelsea Women FC, marking yet another powerful move in the evolution of women’s sports.

Alexis Ohanian shares a strong belief in Chelsea Women FC

Alexis Ohanian didn’t grow up with a burning love for soccer. In fact, he played it more out of obligation than passion, especially since his parents didn’t allow him to try football until high school. But everything shifted in 2019 during the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Watching alongside his daughter, Olympia, something sparked. As he saw those women dominating the world stage, a new dream was born; he imagined Olympia out there one day, fearless and unstoppable.

Fast forward to May this year, and Ohanian has once again raised the stakes in women’s sports. Just days ago, Serena Williams’ husband added another bold chapter to his mission by purchasing a 10% stake in Chelsea Women for roughly 20 million pounds ($26.5 million). Already a foundational investor in Angel City FC, Ohanian’s latest move cements his relentless drive to push women’s sports into the stratosphere.

The ink on the deal was barely dry when Ohanian, joined by Serena and Olympia, showed up at Wembley to witness a historic night. Chelsea Women delivered a dominant 3-0 win over Manchester United in the FA Cup final, sealing a perfect domestic treble. The team had already taken the League Cup and claimed their sixth consecutive Women’s Super League title, remaining unbeaten on home soil throughout the season. Power. Precision. Legacy.

However, the European dream remains just out of reach. Chelsea fell short in the Champions League semifinals, bowing out to defending champions Barcelona with an 8-2 aggregate loss. Yet with a rock-solid core, an elite manager, and global power players like Ohanian backing their mission, the Blues are setting the stage for something even bigger in the seasons ahead.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Ohanian didn’t hold back: “Chelsea is very unique. These are the queens of global soccer, and they’ve got the trophy case to prove it. This is a very special club. The sky is the limit.” And when he said, “You heard our president say this club is unapologetically ambitious – I want to get that tattooed on me,” he wasn’t joking; he’s all in. 

For Ohanian, this isn’t just about investment, it’s a revolution. A fight to crown women’s sports as the future it was always meant to be.