It started as a vision to re-establish a competitive professional women’s soccer team in Los Angeles. It turned into a dream team backed by the largest female ownership group in professional sports, including the likes of Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman, former IGN Entertainment CEO Julie Uhrman, and Monarch Collective managing partner Kara Nortman. Now you can see the story beyond the pitch in a ground-breaking three-part docuseries from Sunday 20 August at 18:00 – only on M-Net, DStv Channel 101.
Angel City is a captivating docuseries that goes behind the scenes and onto the pitch of the ground-breaking Los Angeles-based professional women’s soccer team, Angel City Football Club (ACFC). Founded in September 2020 by actor Natalie Portman, venture capitalist Kara Nortman, and gaming entrepreneur Julie Uhrman, ACFC breaks the mould by being the largest majority female ownership group in professional sports and includes 14 former US Women’s National Team players as investors.
The series pulls back the curtain on the origin story through the 2022 inaugural season and candidly reveals the passion and grit needed to build a franchise from scratch. While the athletes and coaching staff contend with training facility challenges and unexpected injuries, the club is tasked with filling the stadium and proving to the world that you can lead with passion and purpose and still turn a profit. As philosophies are debated and performance expectations aren’t met, the club must cope with the growing pains of a startup, begging the question: can this new ACFC model succeed both on and off the pitch?
“Angel City is a must-watch for anyone who’s passionate about sports, or who simply wants to be inspired by the stories of these incredible women,” says M-Net Director of Premium Channels Waldimar Pelser. “The docuseries is full of heart, humour, and hope, and we’re proud to bring it to our M-Net viewers this Women’s Month."
Part One: Brick by Brick
Three determined women come together from different industries – entertainment, business, and gaming – in an unexpected way, to answer the question, "What would it look like if we did things differently and started a team?" As Natalie Portman, Kara Nortman, and Julie Uhrman begin the process of building Angel City Football Club from the ground up ahead of its first season in the NWSL, they realise bucking the status quo can be a tightrope walk and changing systems from the inside isn’t always easy.
Part Two: Running with the Angels
From the moment they hit the pitch, the stakes are high, the pressure is intense, and the passion is palpable. As players and staff deal with the stress of living up to the club’s ambitious goals, ACFC kicks off their inaugural NWSL season at home in front of a vibrant, star-studded crowd. Riding high on their early season results, the club soon finds its identity challenged and a devastating injury puts the team’s resiliency to the test.
Part Three: It’s Who We Are
Tensions mount as ACFC searches for solutions in their roster while fighting for a playoff spot during the final weeks of their inaugural season. Looking to build on their success, the club’s co-founders turn their attention to the future, confident that their vision will usher in a new era for professional women’s soccer.
The series is driven by extensive access on and off the pitch and includes candid interviews with co-founders Kara Nortman, Natalie Portman, and Julie Uhrman; ACFC team members Christen Press, Jasmyne Spencer, Paige Nielsen, Vanessa Gilles, and Jun Endo; coaching staff Freya Coombe and Eniola Aluko; investors Alexis Ohanian, Abby Wambach, and Julie Foudy; and appearances from Angel City investors Billie Jean King, Serena Williams, Becky G, Jennifer Garner, Eva Longoria, Mia Hamm, America Ferrera, and more.
HBO Sports presents Angel City, a MountainA and Little Monster Films production in association with O’Malley Creadon Productions. Directed by Arlene Nelson; executive producers, Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, Anna Barnes, Natalie Portman, Sophie Mas, and Christine O’Malley. For HBO: executive producers, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Bentley Weiner; coordinating producer, Abtin Motia.
Watch Angel City on M-Net (DStv Channel 101), the home of entertainment, on Sunday 20 August at 18:00 as well as live-streamed on DStv Stream. It is also available on DStv Catch Up after broadcast. Join the conversation on social media @MNet on Twitter, @MNet on Facebook, @mnettv on Instagram, and @mnet on TikTok.