TACOMA, Wash. — Editor's note: Reign FC forward Megan Rapinoe reacts to the team's move to Tacoma.
Reign FC is in exclusive negotiations to sell the club to OL Groupe, the parent company of the French soccer club Olympique Lyonnais.
Reign and OL Groupe expect the transaction to be complete before Jan. 31, 2020.
“Our ambition has always been to operate the best women’s soccer club in the world,” said Reign FC majority owner Bill Predmore. “This is a distinction long held by OL, making them the perfect organization to help us achieve our long-term objectives for the club.”
Bill Predmore and Teresa Predmore will retain a majority stake in the club after the sale. Bill will serve as the CEO.
The Hanauer Family and Tacoma Soccer Ventures, who became investors in Reign FC when the team moved to Tacoma this year, will not have an ownership position after the sale.
Reign FC will continue to play its home matches at Tacoma's Cheney Stadium, as well as continue collaboration with the Sounders and Rainiers.
The Reign was founded in 2012. Since then, the club won two NWSL Shields and made four playoff appearances.
“Growing the club, the league, and the sport demands increased investment in our facilities, our staff, our players, and the league,” said Predmore. “OL has the capacity to make these needed investments, and the knowledge and experience to make those investments in the manner most likely to yield results. We believe the combination of OL’s experience and expertise with our knowledge of the market and league will allow future investments to deliver the optimal impact to the club and to the NWSL.”
Olympique Lyonnais plays Division 1 men's and women's soccer. Olympique Lyonnais Féminin has 13 consecutive domestic league titles and six UEFA Women's Champions League titles.