Dawes ‘Very Thrilled’ to Join Washington Spirit’s New Investor Group

The Washington Spirit of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) announced a new investor group on Wednesday that includes Chelsea Clinton, Jenna Bush Hager and Dominique Dawes.

“It is fitting that the Washington Spirit have an investor group commensurate with the dynamism and diversity of DC and its place as the most powerful city in the world,” said Steve Baldwin, Spirit Managing Partner. “As the 2021 season rapidly approaches, our fans will learn more about how this group came together, hear directly from new investors on their excitement to join us, and our plans for the future.”

Dawes is a native of Silver Spring and an Olympic gold-medal winning gymnast who opened her own gymnastics academy in Clarksburg in 2020.

Reached by phone, Dawes told MyMCM, “I am very thrilled to have an opportunity to continue to empower and educate young girls and women through sports and being a minority stakeholder in the Washington Spirit gives me that opportunity to make that greater impact.”

“When (Spirit majority owner) Steve Baldwin came out to my gymnastics and ninja academy quite some time ago, he spoke about the alignment of our vision and our missions and what he is doing and has been doing with the Washington Spirit,” Dawes said.

“It was really a no brainer to team up with these other amazing business owners in this area and some beyond but more importantly just thinking about the greater impact that we can make on this DC metropolitan community. I’ve been doing it for over 25 years – empowering and educating – and so to have another platform to do that as now a business owner with a professional women’s sports team is exciting and as a mom of four kids – three of them girls – I want them to be soccer players. I’m very excited to head out to Audi Field this spring and make those lasting memories as a family with my four kids and (my husband). It’ll be an exciting legacy that will continue to be able to leave and beyond just the sport of gymnastics,” Dawes told MyMCM.

According to a press release from the Spirit, “the new group of investors who are joining the Spirit Family to support the club’s goals of winning championships, promoting the women’s game in the US, and becoming the premier women’s sports property in the world. This new investor group brings to the club a remarkable range of resources, networks, and skillsets to help drive the club’s growth.”

NEWS | Washington Spirit Announces New Investor Group

— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) February 17, 2021

The Washington Post reported this story first.

About Joe Yasharoff

Joe Yasharoff is MCM's Director of Content and Operations. He is also an adjunct journalism professor at the University of Maryland. Previously, Joe was the Managing Editor at NBC Sports Washington and Executive Sports Producer at FOX5 (WTTG-TV). He hosts the MoCo's Most Famous podcast for MCM.

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