In a historic moment for women’s professional sports, Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes took center stage as lead investors celebrating the inaugural match at the Kansas City Current’s new $120 million CPKC Stadium. The state-of-the-art facility is reportedly financed in large part by Mahomes, whose 3-year-old daughter Sterling’s fandom for sports played a significant role in his pioneering investment.

The power couple were beaming with pride as their pioneering $80 million investment in the world’s first dedicated venue for a professional women’s team came to fruition. Adding to the excitement, KC Current held off Portland Thorns in a 5-4 thriller. Interestingly, Mahomes isn’t alone in making this investment driven by the next generation of fans. It is similar to the trailblazing path of Serena Williams‘ husband, Alexis Ohanian, who led a group investing over $100 million into Angel City FC, another NWSL expansion team.

For Patrick Mahomes, being a “girl dad” to 3-year-old daughter Sterling provided all the motivation he needed to pour millions into the KC Current’s state-of-the-art stadium that has become the mecca for women’s soccer. “To give them the platform that they deserve – I mean I’ve seen the type of talent that they showcase every single game,” Mahomes explained in a recent interview given to ESPN along with his wife Brittany while awaiting the Women’s soccer match to start in the new stadium.

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The Chiefs’ quarterback has been adamant that Sterling attending his games and witnessing the elite skills of athletes firsthand was the driving force. “She can finally kind of realize what’s going on and where she’s at, and she loves to watch her dad play football. She can see him from a mile away and pays attention and keeps up with what’s going on with him,” wife Brittany said to PEOPLE. Seeing his daughter’s joy illuminated the opportunity Mahomes had to provide a world-class stage for women’s soccer.

That insight aligns with Mahomes’ broader vision of using his platform to support female empowerment and create opportunities for the next generation. “I know how great this city is and to be making history, to be making history in women’s sports – I have a young daughter and to give them the platform that they deserve, I think it’s going to be something that’s just a starter,” he stated.

A similar vision is reflected in Serena Williams and her better-half’s investment in Angel City FC. But here’s what you might not know. Alexis Ohanian too was driven by the passion he saw in his daughter’s eyes at a tender age.

Serena William and Ohanian’s $100 Million Trailblazing Path

It’s not just Kansas City’s passionate fanbase that has embraced this mission. Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, the Reddit co-founder spearheaded a group investing over $100 million into the Los Angeles-based Angel City FC when they joined the NWSL as an expansion team in 2022.

Ohanian was also motivated by setting an example for his daughter Olympia. “A big part of the reason why I started Angel City FC was because Olympia was running around, this is 2019 in a Alex Morgan jersey,” said Ohanian in an interview with On Her Turf about the 2019 World Cup.

Ohanian saw backing elite women’s soccer as an equal parts smart business move and important cultural impact. “Women’s soccer, in particular, I believed was tremendously under-resourced, under-marketed, undervalued, underappreciated, under-supported,” he stated. With Angel City exceeding all expectations for season tickets, attendance, and sponsorship revenues in their inaugural season, it proved investing in the women’s game could be lucrative.

Like the Chiefs star, Ohanian understands their high-profile support goes beyond just the bottom line. “Every single time someone buys the jersey, shows up, or tweets about the match, they know they’re pushing something much, much bigger,” he said, impacting future generations. With stadiums invested in, the real payoff could be incalculable.