Serena Williams teases new career venture as tennis legend says investing in women’s sports is ‘overly safe bet’
SERENA Williams has expressed interest in buying a WNBA team in the future.
Williams is already invested in National Women’s Soccer League club Angel City FC, but has her eyes on another league.
Even before going into retirement, Williams was investing in startups and building companies.
The tennis legend had a piece of 66 startups valued at over $1 billion. She also sought to invest in underrepresented companies started by women and people of color.
In an interview with CNN, Williams said investing in women’s sports is “an overly safe bet to me when it comes to investing.”
“There is no risk (factor),” she said.
“Women’s sport is exciting, women are exciting to watch. What’s the difference?
” I think that even more people watched the college women’s basketball than the men. So I think that people are realizing that is exciting to watch.”
While she wouldn’t specify when the right time may be, Williams expressed a desire to get a piece of a women’s basketball team.
“I absolutely would be (interested). With the right market, I would definitely be super interested in that,” she said.
On top of her own investments, Williams and her husband Alexis Ohanian are investing for their children.
Both of their daughters, Olympia and Adira, are part owners in Angel City FC.
“It’s how I was raised when I was young,” Williams said.
“My dad made us open our own bank accounts and I’m talking like we were super young. Obviously, he and my mom had to co-sign, but we had $100.
“We were literally five or less, and we understood the importance of ownership.
“And so I think that she … will always know the importance of being an entrepreneur, being an owner and the role that it’s going to play because believe me, she’s going to work for it as soon as she can.
“This isn’t free. She has to work for that. And I think she will embrace that.”