$40 million private placement marks milestone for women’s professional sportsa
MetLife Investment Management (MIM) closed on a $40 million private placement debt financing, arranged by Mesirow, in January 2026 for Denver Summit FC, the National Women’s Soccer League’s (NWSL) 16th franchise. This is one of the first private bond financings for a women’s professional sports franchise, signaling growing institutional interest and expanding funding options beyond traditional equity ownership.
The transaction highlights MIM’s experience in sports venues and related facilities and reflects its work with capital markets partners like Mesirow to tailor financing for complex projects.
The private placement supports the development and construction of Denver Summit FC’s 20,000-square-foot training facility in Centennial, Colorado, designed for professional female athletes and focused on recovery technologies and holistic treatments.
It also supports a 12,000-seat temporary stadium for the 2026 and 2027 NWSL seasons, after which it will be reconfigured into a 4,000-seat facility for use by the Cherry Creek School District, benefitting the community’s students and families.
The financing lowered the project’s overall cost by allowing the sponsors to use debt rather than funding it entirely with equity. The structure is supported by contracted revenue tied to the project, which helped make long-term financing possible and provided clearer funding certainty for the sponsors.
For leagues and clubs, private placement debt can complement equity and bank financing, helping fund facilities and support long-term growth.
“This transaction demonstrates MIM’s willingness and ability to dig in and find a creative financing solution for a good project,” said Patrick Manseau, Private Capital, MetLife Investment Management. “Being able to support Denver Summit FC and a NWSL team was just an added benefit because every deal must stand on its own.”
“Nevertheless, it is nice to be at the leading edge when it comes to providing institutional capital to women’s professional sports given it’s the type of financing traditionally available only to more established global franchises and leagues.”
When MetLife invests in state housing agency bonds, it lends to HFAs that use the capital to help families qualify for mortgages they could not otherwise access, offer competitive or below-market interest rates, and provide down payment assistance, especially for first-time homebuyers. Many HFAs also support the development or rehabilitation of affordable homes and apartments.
Private placements are commonly used by organizations seeking capital outside public markets. While these structures have long supported many men’s sports franchises and major leagues, this financing shows similar tools are becoming viable for women’s professional teams, expanding the range of funding sources available.
Denver Summit FC is backed by a high-profile ownership group that includes retired football star Peyton Manning. At its first-ever home match in March 2026, the team shattered the all-time NWSL attendance record with over 60,000 fans at Empower Field at Mile High, bettering the previous best by more than 20,000.
