New York Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu Invests in NWSL Bay FC: 'Truly Honored' | OneFootball

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu is investing in Bay Area NWSL club Bay FC, the group announced Monday.

She will also serve as an "official commercial adviser" who "will partner with the organization on commercial strategy and support Bay FC athletes as they work to build their portfolio of brand endorsements," per the release.

“I am excited to join Bay FC as an investor and commercial advisor for the latest NWSL team,” the WNBA star said in a statement. “I have full faith in the club’s vision and its potential to make a profound impact within and beyond women’s soccer. ...  As someone with deep ties to the Bay Area, this opportunity holds even more significance, and I am truly honored to be a part of such a special endeavor to continue to grow women’s sports.”

Speaking separately with ESPN, Ionescu added that she had been wanting to get involved with the club since its 2024 inception, but was looking to have a more hands-on role beyond just investing.

"That was a big part of it for me—I want to invest, but I want it to be more than just transactional," Ionescu told the outlet. "I want to grow my relationship with the team and the players and be able to bring in the relationships that I have and what I've learned on the business side of things to help with their overall brand partnership strategy."

To that end, the 27-year-old hopes to utilize her relationship with Nike to provide cleats for Bay FC, as well as her other connections to spearhead brand partnership opportunities with additional companies that have supported women's sports in the past.

"Sabrina is the ultimate innovator and creates new pathways for aspiring and current professional athletes," Bay FC CEO Brady Stewart said in the team's release. "Adding her passion and vision to what we are building at Bay FC will allow us to further disrupt the sports landscape. Her roots in the Bay Area and commitment to being a catalyst for positive change in women’s sports represents who we are at Bay FC.  We look forward to partnering with her to continue reaching our goal of being a top global sports franchise.”

Ionescu would like to see women's soccer experience the kind of growth the WNBA has enjoyed, which she acknowledged has required "investment" and "expansion," she told ESPN.

But "to see it now in real time—viewership, attendance, sponsorships—everything is at an all-time high. And you see it across different sports ... Soccer is a big one. Especially Bay FC."

Some very exciting news from a defending WNBA champion.