• Mesirow arranged a $40 million private placement for Denver Summit FC, one of the first bond financings completed by a women's professional sports franchise.
• Institutional investors supported a novel financing structure, backed by naming‑rights payments for the team's new practice facility.
• Transaction marks a milestone for women's sports, expanding access to private capital markets traditionally used by established global franchises.
• MetLife Investment Management (MIM) partnered to support the novel financing structure, backed by naming‑rights payments for the team's new practice facility.

CHICAGO, March 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mesirow, an independent, employee-owned financial services firm, today announced today that Mesirow Capital Markets, including CTL and Structured Debt Products and Sale Leaseback Capital, has arranged a $40 million private placement for Denver Summit FC, the National Women's Soccer League's 16th franchise, in one of the first private bond financings completed by a women's professional sports team.

The financing will support the construction of a new practice facility for Denver Summit FC and features a structure designed to provide institutional investors with enhanced credit support. The bond is backed by payments associated with a naming rights agreement with healthcare system CommonSpirit Health, which will have its name displayed on the facility.

"This is a breakthrough for women's sports," said Nathaniel Sager, President of Capital Markets at Mesirow. "The fact that this transaction was purchased by institutional investors represents a new frontier in what women's sports organizations can achieve in the private placement market."

Private placements are commonly used by organizations seeking efficient, highly executable capital solutions outside of public markets. While such structures have previously been utilized by prominent men's sports franchises globally, this transaction represents a significant step forward for women's professional sports.

Denver Summit FC, backed by a high-profile ownership group including retired football star Peyton Manning, has already sold more than 50,000 tickets for its inaugural home match on March 28, positioning the club to set a new attendance record for the league.

To learn more, visit mesirow.com.

About Mesirow
Mesirow is an independent, employee-owned financial services firm founded in 1937. Headquartered in Chicago, with offices around the world, we serve clients through a personal, custom approach to reaching financial goals and acting as a force for social good. With capabilities spanning Private Capital & Currency, Capital Markets & Investment Banking, and Advisory Services, we invest in what matters: our clients, our communities and our culture.

Mesirow has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Chicago by Crain's Chicago Business multiple times and is one of Barron's Top 100 RIA firms. To learn more, visit mesirow.com, follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to Spark, our quarterly newsletter.

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Michael Herley | 203.308.1409

Mesirow refers to Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc. and its divisions, subsidiaries and affiliates. The Mesirow name and logo are registered service marks of Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc., © 2026, Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved. Investment management services provided through Mesirow Financial Investment Management, Inc., Mesirow Institutional Investment Management, Inc. and Mesirow Financial Private Equity Advisors, Inc., all SEC-registered investment advisor, a CFTC registered commodity trading advisors and member of the NFA, or Mesirow Financial International UK, Ltd. ("MFIUK"), authorized and regulated by the FCA, depending on the jurisdiction.

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