Something strange is happening in LA
In full disclosure, we at Bet on Her have been supporters of LA ACFC since day one—as founding season ticket holders and accredited members of the press pool. From the beginning, the club carried the promise of something new and intoxicating. Christen Press as the headline star. Legitimate youth development with the Thompson sisters and Riley Tiernan. Fan-filled sellouts at BMO even through losing seasons. The HBO documentary, the Bob Iger investment—it all felt like a fairy tale waiting for its climactic drop.
But that isn’t the story we’ve gotten, is it? Press’s career-altering injury in the inaugural season has left her in the role of elder stateswoman rather than offensive force. And while Alyssa Thompson has more than delivered—her blistering runs and lethal finishing far beyond her years—the news now is that Chelsea FC is in the final stages of completing a record-breaking transfer. Thompson, a homegrown player who has defined Angel City’s short history, may be sold for money. To the most expensive fee ever paid for an American in women’s football.
The implications run deeper than one player. For Angel City, accepting that fee would deal a monumental blow to the trust and loyalty of fans who have poured emotional and physical energy into the club. The messaging hasn’t helped either. Instead of clarity, we’ve seen awkward press conferences—Alexander Straus deflecting Thompson questions with talk of squad resilience. Admirable, yes, but beside the point. Why make this move? What does capital injection even mean for an ownership group as wealthy as Angel City’s? And what of playoff pushes, team chemistry, and the message sent to fans?
Step back, and the questions stretch wider to the league itself. Is the NWSL becoming a feeder system for the WSL? If English clubs, backed by men’s-team revenues, can drop seven figures without blinking, how can NWSL teams resist? How can the league ever build a global brand if its brightest stars are exported the moment they break through? Should fans demand that clubs be accountable to keeping US talent here? Should the league loosen salary caps to make staying stateside a competitive option?
Maybe the answer is yes to all of the above. What’s certain is this: Thompson leaving ACFC would be more than a roster move. It would be a signal of shifting power in women’s football, one with serious consequences for US dominance in the global game. And if the NWSL misses this moment, it risks undoing all the goodwill and growth it has worked so hard to build.
