Peyton Manning joins Denver NWSL ownership

Hall of Fame backmost Peyton Manning has joined the ownership radical of the Denver NWSL enlargement franchise that volition statesman play adjacent year.

Manning is simply a five-time NFL MVP and a two-time Super Bowl champion who played his last 4 seasons with the Denver Broncos, retiring successful 2016 soon aft starring the Broncos to a Super Bowl title.

"It's a existent grant to beryllium portion of thing truthful meaningful to the Colorado community," Manning said successful a statement. "I'm arrogant to enactment the maturation of women's sports and excited to assistance physique a nine that our metropolis and our authorities tin rally behind."

Manning is 1 of the top quarterbacks successful NFL history. He holds galore league records, including marks for single-season passing yards and touchdowns.

His 5 league MVP awards is besides a record. Manning was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame successful 2021.

"Peyton's bequest arsenic a champion and a person is 2nd to none," Denver NWSL controlling proprietor Rob Cohen said successful a statement. "His interaction connected Colorado sports is unmatched, and we're incredibly arrogant to person him arsenic a partner. He brings passion, insight, and heavy section roots -- each of which volition assistance america signifier the aboriginal of Denver NWSL."

Since retiring, Manning has gone into the media and accumulation space. "Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli" [Manning, his member and erstwhile NFL quarterback] airs connected ESPN and has won aggregate Sports Emmy awards.

Eli Manning is simply a minority investor successful Gotham FC.

Denver NWSL besides recently announced two-time Olympic champion Alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin arsenic portion of its ownership group.

Cohen is simply a Colorado-based security enforcement who leads the ownership group.

Other investors see Ariel Investments' Project Level, led by president and co-CEO Mellody Hobson, and Molly Coors of the Coors household that erstwhile held ownership successful MLB's Colorado Rockies.

Jon-Erik Borgen, Kaia Borgen Moritz, Neelima Joshi, Dhiren Jhaver are besides investors successful the franchise.

The Denver NWSL team, which is yet to unveil its sanction and nine branding, volition motorboat adjacent twelvemonth successful a temporary stadium built to the southbound of Denver, successful Centennial, Colorado.

The 12,000-seat venue volition beryllium surrounded by the team's grooming center. Cohen and Denver's ownership radical antecedently announced plans to physique a 14,500-seat stadium successful Denver. It is acceptable to unfastened successful 2028.

The stadium would beryllium lone the 2nd venue specifically built for an NWSL team.

Cohen & Co. were awarded the 2026 NWSL enlargement franchise successful December for a $110 cardinal interest -- implicit doubly arsenic overmuch arsenic the astir caller enlargement fees paid.

Boston Legacy FC, which was antecedently admitted to the NWSL for a $53 cardinal enlargement fee, volition besides statesman play successful 2026.