Sabrina Ionescu has learned that there\u2019s something special about firsts. Last offseason was full of them: Unrivaled, life as a champion, her first full offseason as a wife. This time, it\u2019s a different kind of beautiful. Her first time as an unrestricted free agent in her career, first as a pro league investor, and now, she\u2019s venturing into something that isn\u2019t just a first for her.<\/p>\n
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If you don\u2019t quite remember, Ionescu made headlines back in March when she became an investor in Bay FC, the NWSL\u2019s Bay Area club. But she didn\u2019t just stop there. The Liberty star also joined the franchise as an official commercial advisor, a role that would see her helping shape the club\u2019s marketing and partnership strategies. This wasn\u2019t a spur-of-the-moment decision, though. Ionescu had her eye on the franchise from the moment it launched in 2024. What began as a simple plan to invest soon evolved into a deeper commitment. She wanted to do more than just put money into the team.<\/p>\n
And now, she\u2019s got another opportunity to do just that.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The National Women\u2019s Soccer League recently brought together a group of athlete investors forming an advisory board meant to drive new business opportunities and expand the league\u2019s reach. Representing Bay FC on that board are none other than Ionescu herself, alongside club co-founder Brandi Chastain. Board members mostly include current and former sports stars like Chris Paul, Sue Bird, Eli Manning, Grant Hill, Ken Griffey Jr., Lindsey Vonn and Magic Johnson, among other celebrities.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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For Ionescu, it\u2019s the perfect chance to put her earlier words into action. \u201cI want to invest, but I want it to be more than just transactional,\u201d she had said. \u201cI want to grow my relationship with the team and the players and be able to bring in the relationships that I have and what I\u2019ve learned on the business side of things to help with their overall brand partnership strategy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
And all this is happening while the Liberty are facing one of their most unpredictable offseasons yet. Every other team with a coaching vacancy \u2013 the Fire, Wings, Storm, and Tempo \u2013 has already made its move. But New York\u2019s still searching after parting ways with Sandy Brondello, who\u2019s already found herself a new home<\/a>. Plus, along with that, the Liberty\u2019s free agency list looks pretty stacked (and scary for fans) this time:\u00a0<\/p>\n
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- Kennedy Burke (unrestricted)\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Natasha Cloud (unrestricted)\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Sabrina Ionescu (unrestricted)\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Isabelle Harrison (unrestricted)\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Marine Johann\u00e8s (reserved)\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Jonquel Jones (unrestricted)\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (suspended \u2014 contract expired)\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Emma Meesseman (unrestricted)\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Breanna Stewart (unrestricted)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n