Angie and Chris Long have a luxury suite at CPKC Stadium, the new home of the National Women’s Soccer League’s Kansas City Current, but for the couple of hours before a game, they like to roam the grounds—walking the concourse, visiting the supporters’ section or chatting up fans at a sponsored bar. “There’s a lot of gratitude involved in this, so you want to share that,” says Chris Long, who with his wife bought the franchise in 2020 and privately financed the construction of the $140 million stadium.

The Longs, who in their day jobs oversee more than $34 billion in investments as cofounders of Palmer Square Capital Management at the firm’s office seven miles away, recognize that CPKC Stadium is hardly just another building. When it opened in March 2024 along the banks of the Missouri River just north of downtown Kansas City, it was the first venue in the world developed primarily for a professional women’s sports franchise. And while that milestone would be impressive enough on its own, the value that the 11,500-seat stadium has unlocked for the Current has been nothing short of transformative.

The team, which previously played at Children’s Mercy Park as a tenant under MLS’s Sporting Kansas City, saw a “more than $20 million revenue swing” in its first season at its new home, Angie Long says. By bolstering business lines such as premium seating and tapping into new streams, including concessions, naming rights and third-party events, the Current generated $36 million in revenue in 2024—the best mark in the NWSL and nearly quadruple the league’s median of $9.5 million, according to Forbes estimates. The club is now worth an estimated $275 million, second only to $280 million Angel City FC despite playing in the fourth-smallest market in the 14-team league.

The way the Longs see it, the growth has only just begun. The Current purposely held back in certain areas last season—limiting the number of non-NWSL events they hosted to keep the field pristine, for instance, and retaining some sponsorship assets until they had a better handle on what they were selling. With those guardrails being lifted, the franchise is projecting $45 million in revenue in 2025. The Current also believe they can reach break-even on an operating basis this year—a goal that remains far out of reach for most NWSL clubs.

“We’re scratching the surface in every single way,” says Angie Long, a Kansas City native.

That bright future is even more remarkable considering Kansas City’s previous attempt at professional women’s soccer was a resounding failure. FC Kansas City began play in 2013 as one of the NWSL’s inaugural eight franchises, but despite winning back-to-back league titles in 2014 and 2015, the team soon fell into disarray under........

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