"The owners of the San Diego Wave have filed a lawsuit against former team president Jill Ellis for allegedly misleading them by promising to remain with the Wave after the sale of the team, only to resign two days after the deal was completed. Lauren Leichtman and Arthur Levine, the Wave's owners and a billionaire couple that owns the private equity firm Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, are suing Ellis through a related holding company."
"Leichtman and Levine purchased the Wave outright from former owner Ron Burkle in 2024 in a two-part sale that valued the team between $113 million and $120 million, which was briefly a record valuation for an NWSL team. Leichtman and Levine said in the lawsuit that "Ellis was a material reason that [they were] purchasing the club," and that they "would rely on Ellis' assurances that she would guide the team for many years to come.""
Lauren Leichtman and Arthur Levine sued former San Diego Wave president Jill Ellis, alleging she promised to remain with the club after their purchase but resigned two days after the deal closed. The owners contend Ellis was a material reason for their acquisition and that they relied on her assurances to guide the team long term. The complaint seeks unspecified damages for alleged misrepresentation, concealment and false promises. Ellis is a two-time World Cup-winning coach and the Wave's first president; under her leadership the team made the playoffs in 2022 and won the NWSL Shield the following year. Ellis's lawyer called the lawsuit meritless and retaliatory over deferred compensation.
Read at ESPN.com
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