The BBC highlighted Korean-American businesswoman Michelle Kang (aged 66, whose Korean name is Kang Yong-mi).
On the 17th (according to Korea Standard Time), the BBC featured Michel’s story titled 'The Soccer Mogul Who Revived Lyon.' The report covered how he acquired Olympique Lyon Feminine (referred to as OLF throughout; France) —a team that has won the European Women's Champions League eight times—in 2023, transforming it into an autonomous entity, along with details about his personal journey.
Shortly after acquiring OLF, Michel Kang established an independent entity for the male squad and incorporated it into her company called 'Kinisca Sports International.' Besides OLF, this organization encompasses various female football clubs including the Washington Spirit based in the USA and London City Lionesses located in the UK, both of which come under Michelle Kang’s ownership.
It’s not only the club itself that experienced a change; according to the BBC report, ever since Michelle Kang assumed control of the club, she injected £39 million (approximately ₩73.5 billion) into enhancing player well-being and intends to construct both a new stadium and specialized training facilities. After spending 14 years with the Lyon men's and women's squads, former OLF CEO Bangsang Ponceau recalled, “Michelle started her speech by asking ‘How can we ensure female players get the same quality of training as their male counterparts?’ She then mentioned needing to employ eleven additional personnel.” To which he received approval: “Just go ahead and do it.” Within two months following this conversation, OLF welcomed aboard 11 fresh hires along with another 13 members—comprising medical professionals like physicians, physiotherapists, fitness trainers, dietitians, and mental skills consultants. American national team star Lindsey Horan, playing for OLF at the time, remarked, “Never have I witnessed such substantial investments being made specifically for women's football.”
Michelle Kang, born in Seoul in 1959, moved to the United States for her studies in 1980 while attending Sogang University. Following graduation from both the University of Chicago and Yale University, she embarked on a career as an IT communications manager. She achieved success in healthcare-related IT ventures via Northrop Grumman, which specializes in aerospace and defense services.
In 2019, he entered the realm of women’s soccer. Being invited to celebrate the U.S. national team's Women's World Cup win provided him with a significant chance. Following this event, Michelle Kang took ownership stakes in the Washington Spirit in 2020 and rose as its biggest shareholder in 2021. By 2023, she had taken control of London City after acquiring OLF, and then founded Kinisca in 2024. This mirrors the approach of Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan—a well-heeled figure from UAE—who utilized substantial resources to purchase clubs globally around his central asset, Manchester City, thus forming the City Football Group. Besides her involvement with the women’s soccer club, Michelle Kang also holds possession of the Baltimore Orioles within MLB in America along with owning American media focused specifically on female athletics.
"I didn't even know who Lionel Messi was until I had a relationship with women's soccer," Kang confessed in an interview with the U.S. Financial Times. "When I first met the U.S. women's team, I realized that even though they were the best players in the world, there was a serious lack of support and interest," he said. "With a little stimulation and investment, women's soccer could explode. There are a lot of people who share their passion (for women's soccer) as well as me. World Cup viewers continue to grow, too," he added. "If you ask a lot of female athletes what they want to do first, they want to get more money."Instead of 'I want to play in a stadium full of the best players, teams and spectators. It's my job to fill the stadium."
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