The women's football investors 'ripping up blueprint' on club ownership

In a area of bluish Italy, perched connected a sun-kissed lake, lies nan municipality of Como. Renowned arsenic a playground for nan rich | and famous, it’s a location that has agelong attracted investors.

And now they are present for women’s football.

Six months ago, a caller finance group called Mercury/13 bought FC Como Women, a mid-table squad successful Serie A Femminile.

The group, co-founded by Victoire Cogevina Reynal, person pledged to put much than £80m buying and transforming women’s clubs astir nan world. They picture investing successful England arsenic an "absolute priority".

"You will usually spot a women's nine wrong a antheral club, and astir apt it will beryllium successful its shadow," Cogenvina Reynal, an American-born London-based entrepreneur and United Nations ambassador for Gender Equality successful Football, tells BBC Sport.

"A batch of magic happens erstwhile nan women's squad becomes a priority. We're not doing different sports. We're not doing men's football. We person a 24/7 attraction connected women’s football."

Their aim, she says, is to "rip up nan blueprint" erstwhile it comes to shot nine ownership and unlock their team’s commercialized potential.

"It's bully business because it invites nan different half of nan world that has, successful a way, been ignored successful this industry," says Cogevina Reynal. "And we women are powerful consumers erstwhile we get down something."

Como ticked each nan boxes for their first investment, pinch nan location and nan expertise to commercialise nan setup a large draw.

Since nan takeover nan nine has been fixed a full caller image, and is presented connected societal media much for illustration a luxury brand.

"We are moving this nine almost for illustration a tech start-up," says main executive Elena Mirandola.

Walking astir nan club’s upgraded training ground, Mirandola tells BBC Sport her transportation to sponsors centres connected inclusion and gender equality, alternatively than conscionable sport.

"This is not a kindness it is simply a business, truthful we person to make it work," she says.

"We are a shot club, but astatine nan aforesaid time, we are building a level which goes measurement beyond conscionable football."

FC Como’s raft of caller players person bought into nan vision.

"I came because of nan project," says Slovenian midfielder Dominika Conc. "It is simply a women's only team.

"When you person men's squad it is simply a information nett sometimes, but astatine nan aforesaid time, you're not a priority.

"It's bully to beryllium location wherever you don't request to perpetually conflict for definite things."

It hasn’t each been plain sailing for Mercury/13.

Last November, nan group was successful discussions to bargain Lewes FC, past playing successful nan Women’s Championship, but a woody couldn’t beryllium reached. Despite nan setback they opportunity investing successful nan UK marketplace is their "number 1 strategical priority".

"We are large fans of nan Women's Super League," Cogevina Reynal adds. "We see it has imaginable to go nan champion women's shot convention successful nan world. Lewes didn't activity out. But we'll beryllium location very soon."

For now, nan attraction is connected FC Como and their first crippled of nan caller play against AC Milan.

The squad play retired of municipality successful Stadio Ferruccio, a crushed encircled by a moving way that dates backmost to nan 1930s.

From these humble surroundings Mercury/13 dream to build their nine into a world brand. They person a connection for those who uncertainty it tin beryllium done.

"I would opportunity there's nary higher imaginable than women's shot today," says Mario Malave, Mercury/13's co-chief executive.

"If you springiness women's shot dedicated management, dedicated capital, and nurture it, it's going to turn and blossom tremendously and go that sustainable business.

"It's nonsensical to expect it to beryllium that today, if no-one's invested successful it complete nan past 100 years."

One female who is already convinced of nan financial lawsuit for women’s shot is Michele Kang. The businesswoman owns London City Lionesses, Lyon and Washington Spirit and wants to bargain more.

There are similarities betwixt her multi-club exemplary and Mercury/13’s project, but besides important differences.

"We're large fans of Michele Kang. We dream that much Michele Kangs travel on nan way, and that we're capable to partner pinch them," says Cogevina Reynal.

"There are differences. We person our investors, we are built arsenic a business, we person to make returns and erstwhile you're successful that position, you make decisions successful a very different way."

Cogevina Reynal and her co-founder Malave person brought notable figures connected committee including erstwhile England world Eni Aluko.

She was erstwhile sporting head astatine Angel City FC successful nan National Women’s Soccer League, a nine recently sold for a record-breaking $250m (£185m).

In very different surroundings, Mercury/13 dream to create their ain version.

"I sewage to spot Angel City's occurrence first hand, and their attack was incredibly commercial," Aluko tells BBC Sport.

"Before a shot was moreover kicked, they had sold retired nan stadium. They had immense brands connected board, and nan attack pinch Mercury/13 is arsenic as commercial.

"So, yes, absolutely, that's nan aim, to make judge that it's seen arsenic a viable business, and it's besides seen arsenic an breathtaking merchandise connected nan pitch, disconnected nan pitch. It's thing that group want to really get behind."

If Aluko and her chap investors successful Mercury/13 execute their ambition of creating a unchangeable of women’s ace clubs it could toggle shape nan financial scenery of nan women’s game.

"I deliberation that each entrepreneur that wants to build a business takes large risks, but it's what makes it worthwhile," says Cogevina Reynal.