Last year, Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin officially became an investor in the Spirit women’s football club from the US capital. But the cooperation did not progress beyond the announcement and video interview – the team did not receive financial support from the Russian.

Exactly one year ago, the Spirit Women’s Football Club was delighted to announce that Washington legend Ovechkin was one of the team’s investors, along with other celebrities such as the daughters of former US presidents Chelsea Clinton and Jenna Bush-Hager. In North America, celebrities often invest in sports teams, using it not only as a business investment in the future, but, above all, as a PR support and development boost.

For example, the City of Angels women’s football team from Los Angeles is owned by tennis player Serena Williams and her husband Alexis Ohanian, actresses Natalie Portman, Jennifer Garner, Jessica Chastain and about 20 other celebrities who care about the development of women’s sports.

Serena Williams / Photo: © Gareth Cattermole / Staff / Getty Images Entertainment / Gettyimages.ru

In his welcoming speech, Ovechkin, by the way, also indicated support for female athletes. He was inspired by his mother – Tatyana Ovechkina, a two-time Olympic basketball champion as part of the USSR national team.

Having replenished the ranks of Spirit’s investors and giving out the necessary media curtsy for such an occasion, Ovechkin switched to hockey: the playoffs were just beginning in the NHL.

And a few months later, a scandal erupted in Spirit, as a result of which the owner of the club, Steve Baldwin, was accused of unprofessionalism and sexism. For example, he appointed his daughter’s former football coach as the head of the team, and the daughter herself, who previously worked as a mentor in children’s football, became the operational president of the club. Spirit was officially declared a “toxic” place to work as a result of a multi-page investigation organized by the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), in which the club played.

Photo: © Tim Nwachukwu / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

Last winter, Baldwin was replaced as sole owner by his former colleague Michelle Kahn, who owns one of the major healthcare companies. The businesswoman bought the club for 35 million and promised to put an end to the bad reputation of Spirit.

It is curious that in the few months that have passed since Ovechkin’s official announcement of cooperation with the women’s team until the scandal erupted, the Russian striker became the only one of 40 star investors who did not write a single check to the club. It’s not entirely clear what motivated the Capitals captain, but according to Sportico sources, Ovechkin had an agreement to contribute to Spirit an amount equivalent in value to about 13 million.

It is likely that the scandal that Baldwin fell into discouraged our hockey player from all desire to have something in common with the club. According to another assumption, cooperation with Ovechkin could only be a PR stunt, from which Spirit made the most of it thanks to several posts on social networks.

But even without Ovechkin’s money, the team is doing well: this season, the players from Washington are defending the champion title, obtained a year ago. And the new owner promised to solve the financial side of the issue. For example, helping Spirit have an official equipment sponsor and a permanent training field so that they no longer have to practice at the stadium of the local school.