By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
A new partnership shows actress Jennifer Garner emerging as a top financial supporter of the National Women’s Soccer League.
Garner is already a key investor in the NWSL team Angel City FC, and has now announced a new collaboration with the team through her children’s nutrition company Once Upon A Farm.
The football club and Once Upon a Farm have signed a multi-year deal starting in 2025, making it the exclusive partner for healthy kids’ snacks.
Through Angel City’s sponsorship model, 10% of the value of any deal is directed to local causes, done in collaboration with each partner.
ACFC and Once Upon a Farm will dedicate 10% of their partnership efforts to expand female and gender-expansive athletes’ access to soccer programming. Once Upon a Farm also pledges to supply Angel City’s young athletes with nutritious products throughout their sporting seasons.
“Aligning these two powerful and fun teams is a dream,” Garner said.
Garner’s company will also be the presenting partner of ACFC’s “Rising Stars” content series that runs on the team’s website.
This is Once Upon a Farm’s first sports sponsorship. The company makes organic snacks and meals for kids and has a retail partnership with ACFC’s back-of-the-jersey sponsor, Sprouts Farmers Market.
ACFC renewed its deal with Sprouts in April for the next three seasons, in a multi-million dollar deal that is also part of a partnership for the National Women’s Soccer League’s 2027 season.
Angel City FC was founded by the Oscar winning actress Natalie Portman, technology venture capitalist Kara Nortman, and media entrepreneur Julie Uhrman. The team also enjoys support from dozens of celebrity investors, including Garner, Serena Williams, Billie Jean King. The team’s largest investor is Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit.
Partly due to the strong investment support, the team boasts the highest valuation of any franchise in the league at $180 million, according to the sports business site Sportico. The team earned $31 million in 2023.