Alex Morgan becomes minority investor in San Diego Wave
Alex Morgan has re-entered the NWSL world less than a year after retiring as a player. The former USWNT star announced on Tuesday that she is now a part-owner of the San Diego Wave, the club where she finished her career.
Morgan joined the Wave during their inaugural season in 2022 and played for the club until the back half of last season, abruptly retiring after discovering she was pregnant for a second time.
'San Diego is where I've built my home, where I am raising my children, and found a purpose beyond my playing career,' Morgan said in a statement. 'I believed in Wave FC before a single match was played, and I still believe this club has the power to change the future of women's sports. I'm proud to invest in that future and not just as a player, but now as an investor.'
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Aside from saying that Morgan will be a minority investor in the club, no other details were given on her stake. The Wave are majority owned by the Levine Leichtman family, who completed their $113m purchase of 100% of the club from former owner Ron Burkle at the end of the 2024 season. Since the new ownership took the reins, the club has undergone numerous changes. That includes the departure of club president and former USWNT coach Jill Ellis, following allegations that she created a hostile work environment (Ellis has countersued for defamation of character), along with the hiring of former Arsenal Women head coach Jonas Eidevall and the trade of Jaedyn Shaw to the North Carolina Courage.
'Alex has always fought to positively impact this game beyond the pitch,' said Lauren Leichtman, controlling owner of Wave FC. 'Her decision to invest is not only a continuation of her leadership but also a reflection of her belief in what we are building.'
Morgan finished her career as one of the most accomplished players in the history of US women's soccer, winning two World Cups and Olympic gold with the US to go with an NWSL Championship in 2013 and the NWSL Shield in 2023. She said after retirement that she intended to invest in women's sports in her post-playing days, and she has kept her word – before this latest investment in Wave FC, Morgan also started venture capital firm Trybe Ventues and became an investor in the Unrivaled 3-on-3 women's basketball league.
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