Under the impetus of its new owner John Textor, major projects are continuing on the side of Olympique Lyonnais. A few days after formalizing the end of Jean-Michel Aulas’ reign, the club announced on Tuesday the transfer of its women’s team to a new « global multi-team women’s (Site notre bureau spécialisé) structure », majority owned by the American billionaire. Michele Kang. Owner of the Washington Spirit, the latter brought “the majority of the shares” of the American club within the new entity, indicates a press release.
« The new organization aims to acquire additional clubs in other countries in Europe, America and Asia », continues the text, specifies that « Michele Kang also joins the Board of Directors of OL Groupe ».
Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. According to « L’Equipe », Michèle Kang would have invested around 40 million euros in Eagle (Site notre blog d’information), the holding company of John Textor, recovering in return 52% of the women’s division of OL.
Sale of OL Reign
« This agreement represents a major step forward in the history of professional women’s (Site notre bureau spécialisé), » said the manager. « It’s a great honor for me to take charge of OL Women and lead this unprecedented project ».
This change could thus take the women’s section of OL into another dimension. « Investments will be made centrally in the development of resources shared between all teams in the group, such as performance science and technology, data analysis, global recruitment, and the development of sports personnel », promises so the release.
Finally, this operation will lead to the sale of OL Reign, an American club previously owned by OL Groupe, in order to guard against any conflict of interest within the NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League, the women’s league American (Site notre bureau spécialisé)). According to the « Wall Street Journal », the entry ticket for a new franchise is currently 50 million euros. This could prefigure the amount of the future transaction.
