Corridor of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning has joined the possession group of the Denver NWSL enlargement franchise that can start play subsequent yr.
Manning is a five-time NFL MVP and a two-time Tremendous Bowl champion who performed his last 4 seasons with the Denver Broncos, retiring in 2016 shortly after main the Broncos to a Tremendous Bowl title.
“It is an actual honor to be a part of one thing so significant to the Colorado neighborhood,” Manning stated in an announcement. “I am proud to help the expansion of girls’s sports activities and excited to assist construct a membership that our metropolis and our state can rally behind.”
Manning is likely one of the best quarterbacks in NFL historical past. He holds quite a few league data, together with marks for single-season passing yards and touchdowns.
His 5 league MVP awards can be a document. Manning was elected to the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2021.
“Peyton’s legacy as a champion and a pacesetter is second to none,” Denver NWSL controlling proprietor Rob Cohen stated in an announcement. “His influence on Colorado sports activities is unmatched, and we’re extremely proud to have him as a associate. He brings ardour, perception, and deep native roots — all of which is able to assist us form the way forward for Denver NWSL.”
Since retiring, Manning has gone into the media and manufacturing area. “Monday Evening Soccer with Peyton and Eli” [Manning, his brother and former NFL quarterback] airs on ESPN and has received a number of Sports activities Emmy awards.
Eli Manning is a minority investor in Gotham FC.
Denver NWSL additionally not too long ago introduced two-time Olympic champion Alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin as a part of its possession group.
Cohen is a Colorado-based insurance coverage government who leads the possession group.
Different traders embrace Ariel Investments’ Undertaking Degree, led by president and co-CEO Mellody Hobson, and Molly Coors of the Coors household that after held possession in MLB’s Colorado Rockies.
Jon-Erik Borgen, Kaia Borgen Moritz, Neelima Joshi, Dhiren Jhaver are additionally traders within the franchise.
The Denver NWSL workforce, which is but to unveil its identify and membership branding, will launch subsequent yr in a brief stadium constructed to the south of Denver, in Centennial, Colorado.
The 12,000-seat venue will likely be surrounded by the workforce’s coaching heart. Cohen and Denver’s possession group beforehand introduced plans to construct a 14,500-seat stadium in Denver. It’s set to open in 2028.
The stadium could be solely the second venue particularly constructed for an NWSL workforce.
Cohen & Co. had been awarded the 2026 NWSL enlargement franchise in December for a $110 million charge — over twice as a lot as the newest enlargement charges paid.
Boston Legacy FC, which was beforehand admitted to the NWSL for a $53 million enlargement charge, may also start play in 2026.
