Multi-club women’s soccer ownership group Mercury 13 recently announced the expansion of its executive team to drive growth and innovation in the sport. With the addition of Lindsey Eckhouse as CRO and Hannah Haynes as CSO, the company’s executive team brings in additional support as it seeks to shape the future of women’s soccer.
With a unique model that blends venture capital-style investments and commercial innovation opportunities in women’s soccer, Mercury 13’s distinct vision is poised to transform the sport like never before.
About the New Additions
As Chief Strategy Officer, Hannah Haynes will play a key role in overseeing Mercury 13’s investment strategy, particularly in regard to club acquisitions in the top European markets for women’s soccer. Her background in the legal field, with an emphasis on the sports and media markets, makes her uniquely positioned to drive the company’s strategic growth and partnership initiatives.
“I believe that Mercury 13 can become a true benchmark for women’s soccer ownership,” Haynes says. “By staying true to our commitment to the women’s game and focusing on sustainable growth models, we hope to make meaningful club investments in other top sports areas, such as the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. Clubs serious about their future understand that the differences between the men’s and women’s game can become an advantage.”
Filling the role of Chief Revenue Officer, Lindsey Eckhouse brings prior senior commercial experience in diverse areas of the global sports world, including McLaren Racing, the NFL, and G2 Esports. In her new role with Mercury 13, Eckhouse will oversee the organization’s commercial and fan engagement strategies for women’s soccer clubs within the investment portfolio.
“My experience with both traditional and emerging sports models has helped me understand the importance of engaging fans and business partners distinctly and purposefully,” Eckhouse explains.
“Everything from sponsorship and ticketing to retail and business partnerships presents an opportunity for us to redefine women’s soccer. We don’t have to be bound by the same constraints and expectations as men’s soccer, and that gives us the chance to innovate and find new ways to make women’s soccer a cultural and commercial success in Europe’s top markets.”
The new executive team members build on the foundation established by entrepreneurs and co-founders Victoire Cogevina Reynal and Mario Malavé.
How Mercury 13 Is Changing the Game
The new additions to its executive team align with Mercury 13’s mission to transform the game of women’s soccer and take advantage of the growing global interest in women’s sports.
Nielsen’s report notes that despite challenges in promotion and coverage, viewership of the Women’s World Cup rose from 11.7 million to 68.6 million from 2017 to 2019 in the UK alone. Further growth was reflected from the 2019 to 2023 Women’s World Cup — while 34% of the global population said they were excited for the event in 2019, that percentage increased to 41% for the 2023 event.
As more broadcasters and other groups begin to recognize the potential growth inherent in the underserved market for women’s sports, Mercury 13 aims to lead the charge in driving business investments in the space. Mercury 13 itself has been the beneficiary of investments from notable figures like Italian soccer star Giorgio Chiellini, driven by growing interest in and appreciation for the sport.
Mercury 13’s initial successful purchase of FC Como in Italy is a prime example. By focusing on a women’s club that is fully independent of a men’s team, the women’s team takes full priority from ownership in everything from its online branding to being operated with a tech startup mindset.
One way Mercury 13’s ownership has set FC Como apart is by positioning the club like a luxury fashion brand, with marketing that takes advantage of the team’s natural surroundings in the Lake Como area—a move that led to Nike signing a multi-year deal with the club.
As Mario Malavé, co-CEO at Mercury 13, explains, “Women’s soccer is poised for transformative growth — but that growth will only come when women’s clubs receive the level of investment and support they deserve. We firmly believe that with our expanded executive team, we can set the global standard for bringing a winning business mindset to the women’s game. So many partners and fans believe in these teams and understand that the potential exists, and with the right leadership and investment support, we can turn that belief into a living reality.”
Pioneering for the Future
With the help of these new additions to its executive board, the team at Mercury 13 is excited about its own future prospects and what its innovative investment approach could mean for women’s soccer as a whole. The expanded executive team creates even more potential for achieving new investing and business partnership opportunities and identifying the best women’s soccer clubs that fit its distinct ownership vision.
By building new opportunities for investment and fan engagement, Mercury 13 appears poised to leverage the differences inherent in women’s soccer into a distinct and engaging experience.
