Challenging the Status Quo and Leading: Michele Kang, Building a Global Women’s Soccer Organization
Date
2025
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Women’s Leadership Initiative, Lerner College of Business & Economics, University of Delaware
Abstract
In 2022, Y. Michele Kang broke barriers by becoming the first woman majority owner of a multi-team soccer organization featuring the Washington Spirit and Olympique Lyonnais Féminin. In 2023, she expanded her organization by adding the London City Lionesses. Kang’s journey to soccer team ownership was unconventional, as she had primarily worked in healthcare IT. However, her reputation for challenging the status quo and driving change was immediately evident in the investment, resources, and attention she brought to her teams. This case study delves into the leadership challenge of Michele Kang as she sets out to build the first-of-its-kind global women’s soccer organization. The study aims to demonstrate that this venture is a promising business opportunity and a beacon of hope for achieving equity with male peer teams and their associated resources.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this case study, the students should be able to:
• Identify leadership skills necessary to elevate women’s soccer revenue, pay, profile, attendance, and interest.
• Suggest how Michele Kang can navigate building a global culture of excellence and data sharing across her multi-team organization.
• Identify attendant challenges to training women with equipment and programs designed specifically for women, rather than adapted from men’s programs and equipment.
Description
Time period: 2013-2024
Geographical setting:
Region: World/global
Featured companies: Kynisca Sports International, LTD, Washington Spirit, Olympique Lyonnais Féminin, London City Lionesses
Company: Kynisca Sports International, LTD
Type: privately held
Industry: sports
Other keywords: Founded in 2024
Company: Washington Spirit
Type: privately held
Industry: sports
Other keywords:
Company: Olympique Lyonnais Féminin
Type: privately held
Industry: sports
Other keywords:
Company: London City Lionesses
Type: privately held
Industry: sports
Other keywords:
Featured protagonist: Michele Kang (Female), owner
This case was written by Aaron Moszer and Lauren Sullivan with editorial assistance from Tosin Idowu-Kunlere under the supervision and guidance of their professor, Dr. Amanda Bullough.
This case is intended to be used as the basis of class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a management situation. All of the material in this case study is based on secondary data from published sources. The authors have not interviewed the business leaders in this case.
©2025 Amanda Bullough. No part of this publication may be copied, stored, transmitted, reproduced, or distributed in any form or medium whatsoever without the permission of the copyright owner.
Keywords
transformational leadership, managing communication, information across multi-functional teams, cross-cultural myths, leadership skills, global culture of excellence, data sharing, multi-team organization, male-dominated industry, quality education, gender equality
Citation
Moszer, Aaron, Lauren Sullivan, Tosin Idowu-Kunlere, and Amanda Bullough. "Challenging the Status Quo and Leading: Michele Kang, Building a Global Women’s Soccer Organization," Women’s Leadership Initiative, Lerner College of Business & Economics, University of Delaware, 2025.