LOS ANGELES: Six-time World Series champions in USA’s Major League Baseball (MLB), the Los Angeles Dodgers have introduced American tennis legend Billie Jean King alongside her partner, Ilana Kloss as the new co-owners of the franchise.
“As someone born, raised and educated in Southern California, it is an honor to be part of the Dodger ownership group,” King said.
“Mark Walter and the entire Dodger organization are a first-class operation that have proven to be leaders in sports on and off the field of play. We share a commitment to equality and inclusion, including the LGBTQ community, and we hope to further expand the team’s efforts in those areas as we move forward together.”
“I have been fortunate to work closely with Mark and Kimbra Walter on some projects, and I’m looking forward to being part of the Dodgers’ ownership group and helping the team expand its reach with new audiences,” Kloss added.
“I hope to work with the team at a variety of levels and I share the organization’s proven commitment to excellence on the field and in the community.”
“We’re excited and proud to welcome two trailblazing athletes, social advocates and businesswomen, Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss, to our ownership group,” Mark Walter, the Dodgers’ principal owner and chairman commented.
“Just like Billie Jean and Ilana, the Dodger franchise has a history of and commitment to breaking barriers, inclusion and winning, and we’re looking forward to them continuing to promote these attributes within our organization.”
King has been renowned for being a social activist post her tennis career. She and Kloss co-founded the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative, which addresses inclusion and diversity issues in the workplace. They also are the founding board members of the Elton John AIDS Foundation and both serve on the executive committee of the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF).
Founded by King in 1974, WSF works to advance the lives of girls and women through sports and physical activity and has awarded more than $80 million in educational and cash grants since its inception.
King and Kloss also have been longtime owners in World TeamTennis at both the league and team levels. In addition to the Dodgers, the couple is also expected to join Walter as a member of the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks ownership group, pending league approval.
