Washington Spirit Owner Michele Kang to be Honored as Sports Philanthropist of the Year by ESPN
NWSL Washington Spirit

Washington Spirit Owner Michele Kang to be Honored as Sports Philanthropist of the Year by ESPN

Published on July 1, 2025 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Washington Spirit News Release


Washington, D.C. - Washington Spirit majority owner Michele Kang will be honored as the Sports Philanthropist of the Year later this month during ESPYs week, ESPN announced today. Kang will be recognized for her dedication to transforming women's sports on a global scale, joining a short list of honorees for the high honor.

As a trailblazing businesswoman, investor and philanthropist, Kang - founder and former CEO of the leading healthcare IT company Cognosante - has built her career by challenging the status quo and driving systemic change. In 2022, she became the first woman of color to own a National Women's Soccer League team, the Washington Spirit, and expanded her global presence in 2023 by acquiring majority ownership of OL Lyonnes in France and the London City Lionesses in the UK. In 2024, Kang launched Kynisca, the world's first multi-team global organization focused on professionalizing women's football and demonstrating its commercial and cultural potential.

She has made multiple significant investments in women's sports, including a $4 million, four-year commitment to support the USA Women's Rugby Sevens team and a $30 million, five-year pledge to U.S. Soccer to advance player development, coaching pathways and leadership opportunities. In 2025, she announced the integration of Kynisca Innovation Hub - a science-backed platform to optimize female athlete training - into U.S. Soccer's Soccer Forward Foundation, increasing her total investment in the federation to $55 million and further cementing her commitment to equity in sport.

Kang will be honored as ESPN's 2025 Sports Philanthropist of the Year on Tuesday, July 15 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood, California. The women's sports visionary will be honored alongside various other 2025 Sports Humanitarian Awards honorees as part of ESPYs Week in southern California.

The Sports Philanthropist of the Year Award celebrates someone that is creating measurable social change through sports by using a comprehensive philanthropic funding strategy. This may be a team owner, a former athlete, a current or former front office executive or coach or an individual whose primary charitable giving is directed towards sports.

Kang becomes the fourth Sports Philanthropist of the Year Award honoree, joining the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank and the Boston Red Sox Ownership Group.

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