Key Highlights
- Kynisca will provide female athletes with the necessary infrastructure and resources for success.
- The new organization aims to offer top-tier playing and training environments, employ world-class technical staff, and focus on innovation and sports science tailored for female athletes.
- Kynisca plans to unite elite clubs and invest in other structures across Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe to drive advancements in women’s sports.
- The Kynisca Innovation Hub (KIH) is set to revolutionize training methods through education and innovation, unlocking the full potential of female athletes.
Michele Kang, owner of the Washington Spirit, Olympique Lyonnais Féminin, and London City Lionesses, has officially launched Kynisca Sports International Ltd, the first global multi-team organization dedicated to women’s soccer. This ambitious initiative aims to transform the landscape of women’s sports.
Central to this vision is the Kynisca Innovation Hub (KIH), a nonprofit organization focused on advancing female athletic performance. Unveiled by Kang at an event in Paris, KIH has set a target to raise $100 million to support its mission. Kang herself is contributing $50 million in seed funding and matching funds to kickstart the project.
“With so little investment in sports science focused on women, we have only begun to unlock the potential of female athletes on the pitch,” Kang stated. “Kynisca Innovation Hub will become a pioneer of female performance research—so we can stop training women as if they are simply small men—and unlock their true potential.”
Despite the growing investment in women’s sports, only 6% of sports science research currently focuses on women. KIH is dedicated to bridging this gap by creating the world’s largest database on female health, wellness, and performance. Insights gained from academic research and data analytics will be used to develop new training protocols. Leading this initiative are Dawn Scott, director of performance at Washington Spirit, and Theresa McDonnell, the club’s COO, who will serve as executive director and CEO, respectively.
Kang, who founded the technology company Cognosante, recently sold the firm to Accenture Federal Services. She is also part of a consortium led by Carlyle Group co-founder David Rubenstein that recently acquired the Baltimore Orioles. In February 2023, she made history by becoming the first woman to own a multi-club network in women’s soccer, purchasing a majority stake in OL Féminin. This team, which has won eight UEFA Champions League titles, is reportedly valued at $54 million.
According to Sportico’s latest valuations, the Washington Spirit, Kang’s NWSL franchise, ranks as the fifth-most valuable team in the league, worth $54 million.
Named after Cynisca of Sparta, the first woman crowned in the ancient Olympics, Kang’s organization aims to invest in women’s soccer clubs globally. “We will provide opportunities for girls and women worldwide to access high-level sport, reach their potential under the best conditions, and play football in the clubs of the global elite,” Kang emphasized.