The fight for control of the Washington Spirit — one that began last summer amid turmoil over treatment of players and threatened to overshadow the team’s championship run — turned in Y. Michele Kang’s favor Saturday when the National Women’s Soccer League cleared the way for her to consolidate power.
The league’s board of governors voted unanimously to allow the Spirit’s non-equity, nonvoting investors, many of whom back Kang, to become shareholders. With their support, as well as her purchase of other equity stakes, Kang would be in position to take over ownership from Steve Baldwin, who has had controlling interest in the club since 2019.