Angel City FC
Angel City Football Club is a National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) team that began play in the 2022 season. Based in Los Angeles, California, the formation of the team was announced on July 21, 2020. The team has many high-profile owners, including Natalie Portman, America Ferrera, Mia Hamm, Sophia Bush, Abby Wambach, Eva Longoria, and Serena Williams.[1]
| Full name | Angel City Football Club |
|---|---|
| Founded | July 21, 2020 |
| Stadium | BMO Stadium |
| Capacity | 22,000 |
| President | Julie Uhrman |
| Head coach | Becki Tweed |
| League | National Women's Soccer League |
| 2023 | 5th of 12 Playoffs: 5th Seed |
| Website | Club website |
| Current season | |
Angel City FC is the Los Angeles area's first women's professional soccer team since the Los Angeles Sol of Women's Professional Soccer folded in 2010.[2] Angel City FC plays their home matches at BMO Stadium, which it shares with Los Angeles FC of Major League Soccer.
History edit
On July 21, 2020, the NWSL announced that Los Angeles would be awarded an expansion franchise for the 2022 season.[3] The team was announced with a majority female ownership group led by actress Natalie Portman, venture capitalist Kara Nortman, entrepreneur Julie Uhrman, and venture capitalist Alexis Ohanian.[3] Ohanian also represents the club on the league's board of governors.[4] Other founding members of the team included professional tennis player Serena Williams, actors Uzo Aduba, Jessica Chastain, America Ferrera, Jennifer Garner, and Eva Longoria, late night talk show host and YouTuber Lilly Singh, YouTuber Casey Neistat, Broadway producer Jenna Segal, and former members of the United States national team including Julie Foudy, Mia Hamm, Rachel Van Hollebeke, Shannon Boxx, Amanda Cromwell, Lorrie Fair, Ronnie Fair, Joy Fawcett, Angela Hucles, Shannon MacMillan, Tisha Venturini, Saskia Webber, Lauren Holiday, and Abby Wambach.[3][2][5][6]
It was also announced during the team's launch that they would be announcing their official name before the end of the year but were going to use 'Angel City' as a tentative nickname.[3] The team was also in discussions with various groups for a stadium agreement, including the LA Galaxy of Major League Soccer.[3]
In the time since the club's name was confirmed as Angel City FC on October 21, 2020, additional members of the ownership group were announced, among them tennis great Billie Jean King, former tennis player and current tennis administrator Ilana Kloss, WNBA star Candace Parker, NHL star P. K. Subban, actress and activist Sophia Bush, Latin pop star Becky G, actor and TV host James Corden, former U.S. men's international soccer star Cobi Jones, NFL offensive lineman Ryan Kalil, and actor Uzo Aduba.[7][8]
Angel City FC hosted Mexican club Tigres UANL Femenil in the club's first-ever International Friendly match in August 2022, which Angel City FC won 1-0.[9] The first edition of the Copa Angelina on September 5, 2022 saw Angel City FC fall 2-0 to the Mexico women's national team off a goal by Scarlett Camberos and an own goal.[10]
A three-part documentary chronicling the team's first season entitled Angel City was released in the May of 2023 on HBO.[11]
Colors and crest edit
Angel City FC's official colors are "asphalt" and "armor" with "sol rosa" as an accent color, a pink-tinted hue unique to the club.[12]
On June 30, 2021, the club revealed its crest featuring an angel with wings inspired by the Southern California red-tailed hawk and shaped to mimic the area's palm trees, with the top of the crest sloping at a 22-degree angle to represent their 2022 entry into the league. The crest was designed by Amedea Tassinari.[13]
The club collaborated with supporters in the design of the colors, crest, and kit to ensure the club represented Los Angeles.[14]
In October 2021, Angel City pre-emptively retired shirt number 22 to recognize its founding year and the number of players on the pitch during matches. The team sells shirts bearing the number 22 and donates 10 percent of revenue through a charitable program managed by the California Community Foundation.[15]
On November 17, 2021, the club unveiled a black primary kit made of recycled materials. The kit's design features hints of sol rosa, an art deco pattern, and the team's motto "Volemos" above player names.[16]
On March 16, 2023, Angel City released a new secondary kit featuring a print of the Los Angeles County coastline.[17]
Kit history edit
2022 away | 2022–2023 home | 2023 away |
Sponsorship and revenue edit
The club's eight-figure deal with DoorDash as the inaugural primary kit sponsor is the largest in the NWSL.[18] Angel City also sold $6 million in merchandise in 2022 to lead the league. The club's revenue accounted for 38.75% of the NWSL's total revenue on the year.[19]
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Front sponsor | Back sponsor | Sleeve sponsor | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022– | Nike | DoorDash | Sprouts Farmers Market | Birdies | [20] |
Stadium edit
In November 2020, it was announced the team would play its home matches at BMO Stadium in Exposition Park near Downtown Los Angeles.[21][22] BMO Stadium, formerly named Banc of California Stadium until 2023, is also home to Los Angeles FC of Major League Soccer.[22][23]
Players edit
Current squad edit
- As of November 18, 2023.[24]
| No. | Pos. | Player | Nation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GK | Brittany Isenhour | United States |
| 2 | FW | Sydney Leroux | United States |
| 3 | DF | Jasmyne Spencer | United States |
| 5 | DF | Ali Riley (captain) | New Zealand |
| 6 | DF | Megan Reid | United States |
| 7 | FW | Simone Charley | United States |
| 9 | MF | Savannah McCaskill | United States |
| 10 | FW | Claire Emslie | Scotland |
| 11 | DF | Sarah Gorden | United States |
| 12 | DF | Merritt Mathias | United States |
| 13 | GK | DiDi Haračić | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| 14 | DF | Paige Nielsen | United States |
| 15 | MF | Scarlett Camberos | Mexico |
| 16 | DF | M.A. Vignola | United States |
| 17 | MF | Dani Weatherholt | United States |
| 18 | FW | Jun Endō | Japan |
| 19 | GK | Angelina Anderson | United States |
| 21 | FW | Alyssa Thompson | United States |
| 23 | FW | Christen Press | United States |
| 24 | MF | Mackenzie Pluck | United States |
| 26 | MF | Amandine Henry | France |
| 28 | MF | Lily Nabet | United States |
| 29 | MF | Clarisse Le Bihan | France |
| 33 | MF | Katie Johnson | Mexico |
| 36 | DF | Kelsey Hill | United States |
| 44 | MF | Elizabeth Eddy | United States |
| 99 | DF | Madison Hammond | United States |
Out on loan edit
| No. | Pos. | Player | Nation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | DF | Vanessa Gilles (at Lyon until June 30, 2023[25]) | Canada |
Staff edit
Current staff edit
| Executive | |
|---|---|
| President | Julie Uhrman |
| General manager | Angela Hucles Mangano |
| Coaching | |
| Head Coach | Becki Tweed |
| Assistant Coach | Eleri Earnshaw |
| Head of Goalkeeping | Daniel Ball |
| Technical Staff | |
| Senior Director of Soccer Operations | Marisa Leconte |
| Director of Player Care | Alex Bitaine |
| Soccer Operations Coordinator | Alrick Drummond |
| Player Care Coordinator | Olivia Aluko |
| Head Equipment Manager | Brock Chartier |
| Director of Medical and Performance | Sarah Smith |
| Head of Sports Science | Dan Jones |
| Head Athletic Trainer | Manny De Alba |
| Director of Rehabilitation | Joscelyn Shumate Bourne |
| Physical Therapist | Symiah Campbell |
Records edit
Year-by-year edit
| Season | League | Regular season | Playoffs | Challenge Cup | Avg. attendance | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | Pos | |||||
| 2022 | NWSL | 22 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 23 | 27 | 29 | 8th | did not qualify | — | 19,105 |
| 2023 | NWSL | 22 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 5th | TBD | Group Stage | |
Head coaching record edit
- As of November 02, 2023[29]
Only competitive matches are counted. Includes NWSL regular season, playoffs, and Challenge Cup matches.
| Name | Nationality | From | To | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freya Coombe | England | March 19, 2022 | June 15, 2023[30] | 36 | 10 | 9 | 17 | 39 | 53 | 27.78 |
| Becki Tweed | England | June 15, 2023[30] | present | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
References edit
- ^ Creditor, Avi (October 21, 2020). "NWSL L.A. Team Reveals Name, Even More High-Profile Investors". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
- ^ a b Hays, Graham (July 21, 2020). "Hollywood stars and ex-USWNT players unite to bring NWSL team to Los Angeles". ESPN. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "Natalie Portman part of L.A. ownership group for NWSL expansion team in 2022". Los Angeles Times. July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
- ^ Novy-Williams, Eben (April 11, 2023). "NWSL's Sixth Street Deal Has Safeguards for Private Equity First". Sportico. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
- ^ "Jenna Segal". Angel City FC. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
- ^ Kriger, Rachael (October 21, 2020). "Angel City FC confirms name, 2022 NWSL entry, additional owners – Equalizer Soccer". Retrieved March 2, 2023.
- ^ "Angel City Confirms Name as Angel City Football Club and Officially Joins National Women's Soccer League" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. October 21, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
- ^ "Angel City FC Ownership". Angel City. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ "Tigres tamed in Los Angeles: Angel City FC 1, Tigres UANL Femenil 0". July 21, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
- ^ "Mexico Wins Inaugural Copa Angelina 2–0". Angel City. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
- ^ "Hollywood A-listers unite for NWSL team in L.A." ESPN.com. July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
- ^ "Angel City Logo And Colours Released". footyheadlines.com. July 5, 2021.
- ^ "Angel City FC unveils official crest and colors". www.equalizersoccer.com. June 30, 2021.
- ^ "Angel City FC unveils franchise's first jersey". www.latimes.com. November 17, 2021.
- ^ Hruby, Emma (October 6, 2021). "ACFC announces new player program, retirement of No. 22". Just Women's Sports. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
- ^ Linehan, Meg (November 17, 2021). "Angel City unveils inaugural primary kit: A 'timeless' look to set the tone for record-breaking aspirations". The Athletic. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
- ^ "Angel City 2023 Away Kit Released - Can Be Customized With 12 Unique Patches". Footy Headlines. March 16, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
- ^ "DoorDash Signs On As Angel City FC Jersey Sponsor For Club Debut". Sports Business Journal. February 18, 2021.
- ^ "Winners of the 2023 Sports Business Awards". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
- ^ "Angel City FC complete shirt sponsorship hattrick with Sprouts deal". www.sportspromedia.com. March 17, 2021.
- ^ "Angel City Football Club To Play At Banc Of California Stadium In Downtown L.A." November 19, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
- ^ a b Baxter, Kevin (November 19, 2020). "NWSL's Angel City will play home games at Banc of California Stadium". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
- ^ "LAFC's home venue renamed as BMO Stadium". MLSsoccer.com. January 19, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
- ^ "ACFC Roster". Angel City FC.
- ^ "Arrivée sous forme de prêt de Vanessa Gilles (Angel City)". www.ol.fr. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
- ^ "Angel City Football Club Elevates Angela Hucles Mangano to Team General Manager". Angel City FC. August 15, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
- ^ "Technical Staff". angelcity.com. Angel City FC. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
- ^ Linehan, Meg (June 14, 2023). "Angel City fires coach Freya Coombe after 11th-place start to season". The Athletic. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ "Angel City Names Becki Tweed Head Coach". FBRef. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
- ^ a b "Angel City FC Parts Ways with Freya Coombe". Angel City.
External links edit
- Official website