Angie and Chris Long

Angie and Chris Long
Alma materPrinceton University
Known forCo-founders and co-owners of the Kansas City Current

Angie Knighton Long and Christopher D. Long are American businesspeople. They are co-founders and co-owners of the Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).

Early lives and education

Angie grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, and played multiple sports including soccer from a young age. She played college golf and rugby at Princeton University. Chris Long grew up in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, as a fan of Philadelphia sports teams and played college basketball for the Princeton Tigers. The couple began dating in their junior year and married two years after their college graduation in 1997.[1][2] They were college friends of Kara Nortman, who co-founded the NWSL club Angel City FC in 2020.[3]

Careers

The Longs were hired out of college by JPMorgan Chase in New York City, where Angie went on to become a managing director of credit trading. Chris later worked for TH Lee Putnam Ventures, Morgan Stanley, and Sandell Asset Management. The couple moved to Kansas City in 2006, and Chris founded his own investment company, Palmer Square Capital Management, in 2009, which Angie joined as chief investment officer in 2011.[1][4]

The Longs became interested in owning a women's soccer team after watching the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France. On December 7, 2020, the Longs and former soccer player Brittany Mahomes announced that they had bought NWSL club Utah Royals FC from Dell Loy Hansen and planned to move the team back to Kansas City. Hanson had earlier moved the club from Kansas City to Utah; an NWSL club in Utah was reestablished three years later.[4][5] The club began play in the 2021 season and was renamed the Kansas City Current ahead of the 2022 season.[6] The Longs financed a new, US$70 million stadium, CPKC Stadium, that opened in 2024.[7]

Personal lives

The Longs have four children, two girls and two boys. Their oldest daughter, Abigail, plays basketball for the Yale Bulldogs women's basketball team. Their youngest daughter, Mary, plays college soccer for the Duke Blue Devils.[8][9]

References

  1. ^ a b Dornbrook, James (March 4, 2022). "KC Current owners play the long game". Kansas City Business Journal. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  2. ^ "How lifelong Philly sports fan Chris Long made Kansas City one of the NWSL's trendiest teams". The Philadelphia Inquirer. October 29, 2022. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  3. ^ Kassouf, Jeff (December 8, 2020). "Kansas City, LA owners share long history, common vision which could redefine the NWSL". The Equalizer. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Kochkodin, Brandon (December 8, 2020). "Princeton Power Couple Brings Women's Soccer to Kansas City". Bloomberg. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  5. ^ Linehan, Meg (March 11, 2023). "Utah Royals returning to NWSL in 2024; RSL owners Ryan Smith, David Blitzer among investors". The Athletic. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  6. ^ Goodwin, Shaun (October 30, 2021). "It's the Kansas City Current: KC NWSL team unveils new name, logo during season finale". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  7. ^ Bachman, Rachel (July 3, 2024). "No One Wanted to Finance Their Stadium. Now Every Game Is a Sellout". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  8. ^ "Q&A: Angie and Chris Long on their plans for the NWSL's return to Kansas City". The Athletic. December 8, 2020. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  9. ^ Sperry, Daniel (November 1, 2023). "Local soccer standout whose parents founded KC Current will head to Duke a year early". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved September 28, 2024.