Twelve all-star appearances, nine Rocket Richards, three Harts, three Lindsays, an Art Ross, a Conn Smythe, a Stanley Cup, the list of accomplishments on Alex Ovechkin‘s resume go on and on — and now include team owner.
The NWSL’s Washington Spirit announced Monday that the Washington Capitals star and his wife Nastya Ovechkina have joined the club’s investor group alongside other new celebrity backers, including former first daughters Chelsea Clinton and Jenna Bush, Olympic gold-medal-winning gymnast Dominique Dawes and U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer Briana Scurry.
“Nastya and I are very excited to join the Washington Spirit investor group,” Ovechkin said in a press release.
“I’m excited to help grow women’s soccer in Washington DC. Being a huge soccer fan that I am, I can’t wait to attend the DC Spirit games and practices and help promote these great players!”
Ovechkin told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan that it’s “important to support women and women’s professional athletes — not just in the United States, but all over the world.”
The 35-year-old said his mother, Tatyana Ovechkina, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in basketball for Team Russia, stressed to him the importance of gender equality in sports.
“(She taught me) it doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman, you should be able to chase the same goals as a professional athlete,” Ovechkin told ESPN.
Ovechkin’s father, Mikhail, was also a professional soccer player and the Capitals sniper has previously said he is a fan of both Barcelona and Liverpool.
“He played for Dynamo, but he got hurt and he stopped playing,” Ovechkin told ESPN. “I have some friends who play for the national team in Russia. I love to play soccer in the summer with my friends. I think I’m good, but probably I’m not good.”
Asked whether his post-hockey-career plans include more ownership opportunities, Ovechkin wasn’t ruling anything out.
“I would love to be in (Capitals owner Ted Leonsis’) spot, I can’t lie to you,” Ovechkin told ESPN with a laugh.
“But seriously, I don’t know what I’d like to do. I still think I have a couple years left playing, then we’ll see.”
The Spirit kick off their ninth NWSL season on May 16 against the Pride in Orlando.
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