New York and Denver, (Thursday January 30, 2025) – The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) announced today that it had awarded Denver, Colorado, the 16th league franchise. The Denver NWSL team, which should start playing in the 2026 season, is made up of a robust ownership group which includes local and national investors, notably Rob Cohen, the level of project, an Ariel Investments Subsidiary By President Mellody Hobson and the former president of the Washington commanders Jason Wright, Firsttracks Sports Ventures LLC (FTSV), led by the brothers and sisters Jon-Erik Borgen and Kaia Borgen Moritz, Neelima Joshi and Dhiren Jhaveri and Molly Coors. Cohen will serve as owner and governor for the club of the club at Hobson as a deputy governor of Denver NWSL. Denver is the second franchise awarded by the NWSL during this series of expansion, after team 15 in Boston, bringing the league from 14 to 16 clubs. Denver NWSL becomes the first professional women’s sports team of a large national league to call the Mile High City at home.
The new Denver NWSL franchise is finalizing the plans for a stadium specially designed for professional women’s football and a devoted performance installation specially designed for female athletes. More information will be available because these plans will be finalized. The name of the team, the ridge, the colors and the identity of the brand will be announced on a later date.
“While the NWSL continues its rapid growth, we knew that it was essential to launch our 16th team in a city with a passionate sports culture and a dynamic fans base, and Denver is the perfect match,” said Jessica BermanNWSL commissioner. “The club’s plans for a specially designed stadium and a advanced training center show a commitment to provide world -class environments to our players and fans. With the vision and dedication of this ownership group, we are convinced that Denver NWSL will establish new standards of excellence on and off the field, inspiring the next generation of players and supporters in the Rocky Mountain region. »»
Rob Cohen is the president and chief executive officer of IMA Financial Group, Inc., better insurance brokerage specializing in risk management, insurance, wholesale brokerage and wealth management whose head office is in Denver, Colorado. During its mandate, Cohen led the company to unprecedented growth while remaining faithful to its culture focused on the customer based on the bases of the possession of the employees. The IMA has always been named the best place to work by various national and local publications.
Cohen has been a pillar of Denver’s sports scene for 30 years, working to raise Denver on the international scene. In 2001, Cohen founded the Denver Sports Commission, whose mission is to identify, prosecute and proactively attract regional, national and international amateur and international competitions in Denver. The Commission has helped to provide such notable events such as MLB, NBA, NHL, Final Women and Hockey Frozen Oven in the Grand Denver region.
Cohen is a founding member of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Foundation (USOPF) and is president of the Games’ Host Committee. He more recently made the Submission Committee on Salt Lake City, which received the Winter Olympic Games for 2034. Cohen was appointed by the Congress to the State Commission of the American Olympic Games and the Paralympic Movement.
“Denver is one of the best sports cities in the United States and we are delighted to bring professional women’s football to Colorado,” said Cohen. “We believe that bringing him NWSL to Denver will have an impact and transformer. Our goal is to work closely with the various communities of Denver to build a club that will work with integrity and excellence from the first day. We can’t wait to collaborate with our community to make Denver NWSL an inclusive and special club that all of Colorado can rally. »»
Denver NWSL’s alternative governor, Mellody Hobson, is CO-PDG and president of Ariel Investments, LLC (“Ariel”), the first and oldest common fundraising business belonging to Afro-American in the United States. Ariel is the parent company of the newly trained private investment company Project Level, which invests in the franchise. Directed by Hobson and the former president of the Washington commanders, Jason Wright, the project of Project Level is to “level” the playground in female sports thanks to investment and property. The company capitalizes on the growth and value underestimated and integrated into female sports today thanks to a very organized portfolio of professional and emerging sports leagues, junior and university sports opportunities and related companies which directly benefit from the global expansion of female sports.
In 2022, Hobson became history as one of the first black owners of the National Football League, as part of the Walton-Penner family of Denver Broncos. She is also a shareholder in Chicago White Sox, Women’s National Basketball Association and volleyball League One. In 2021, she co -founded the first ARIEL, Ariel Alternatives, LLC – Investment Capital Entity, with a $ 1.45 billion inaugural Black funds, which evolves companies belonging to sustainable minorities to feed diversity From the fortune supply chain 500. Apart from Ariel, Melody is a leader in business commission rooms, as a former president and current principal director of Starbucks Corporation and director of JPMorgan Chase.
NWSL has chosen Denver as the next expansion franchise partly due to Denver FC, a basic movement to bring professional women’s football into the centenary state. The community initiative was presented as for Denver FC and was led by Jordan Angeli, Tom Dunmore, Nicole Glaros and Ben Hubbard. So that Denver’s work played a decisive role in the first stages of Denver’s prosecution of an NWSL franchise, in particular by hiring Rob Cohen and other members of the property group in the fall of 2023. For Denver FC Collaborate with Denver NWSL to continue to hire the Denver and Denver community will be fundamental because Denver NWSL builds a supporters base to support the new Denver club.
Fans who wish to buy season tickets for the Denver NWSL Club can do so by placing a deposit on Denvernwsl.com. Please follow Denver NWSL on Facebook, Instagram @Denvernwsl, X @Denver_nwsl and Tiktok @nwsldenver.
Denver NWSL will organize a gathering of supporters fans at number 38 (3560 Chestnut PL, Denver, CO 80216) Thursday January 30 at 5 p.m. The event is free, all ages and open to the public.
Additional quotes:
Mayor of Denver Mike Johnston
“Despite the production of some of the world’s largest players who houses the best sports fans in the country, Denver was deprived of his own professional women’s team,” said Mayor Mike Johnston. “It changes today. We are proud to announce that professional women’s football is coming to Denver and that generations of Denverites will soon be able to encourage the best talents in the country in their own backyard. Having worked side by side with investors to get there, I know that the group behind this offer is also determined to organize a world class experience as to win, and I can’t wait to see you on the opening weekend 2026 . “”
The governor of Colorado Jared Polis
“We are delighted to welcome a new women’s football team in Colorado. The Colorado already houses prosperous professional sports teams and with this new addition, we will continue to be a destination for people across the country. Just as we support all our professional teams, I know that Colorado will present itself for the new female football team of the League NWSL. I can’t wait to catch my first game.
Rob Cohen organic
About Denver NWSL
Denver NWSL is the Professional Football Club for Women in Colorado. Held and operated by Rob Cohen and a group of passionate, local and national investors, notably Mellody Hobson, the brothers and sisters Jon-Erik Borgen and Kaia Borgen Moritz, Neelima Joshi and Dhiren Jhaveri and Molly Coors. Denver NWSL’s goal is to hire Denver’s dynamic and diverse communities to build the best professional football club in the world. For more information, please visit Denvernwsl.com.
About the project level
The project level is a private asset management company affiliated with Ariel Investments, LLC. He seeks to “level” the playground in female sports thanks to investment and property. The company aims to generate convincing financial returns by capitalizing on the growth and the underestimated value anchored in female sports today. The level of the project builds a very organized portfolio, including assets of professional and emerging sports leagues, junior and collegiate sports opportunities, as well as related companies which benefit directly from the global expansion of female sports. By promoting solid and sustainable companies that compete at the highest level, the company’s mission is to fill the gap between sexes in sports. For more information, please visit www.projectlevel.com. To find out more about the parent company Ariel Investments, please visit www.arielinvestments.com.
About NWSL
The National Women’s Soccer League is the first professional female football league in the world with national team players from around the world. The clubs are Angel City FC, Bay FC, Bos Nation FC, Chicago Stars FC, Denver, Houston Dash, Kansas City Current, NJ / NY Gotham FC, North Carolina Courage, Orlando Pride, Portland Thorns FC, Racing Louisville FC, San Diego Wave FC, Seattle Reign FC, Utah Royals FC and Washington Spirit.
