There’s a new club coming to women’s professional football in the United States. Next season will see the debut of Bay FC, out of northern California. Aly Wagner, a former player on the US women’s national team, explains how she helped get the club off the ground with an investment model that has never been used in US professional sports before. We explore how this funding model could change the landscape for American sports. You’ll also hear from the FT’s US sports business correspondent Sara Germano about whether this very European model is moving across the pond. Plus, do you have your own burning questions about business or finance? Send us your questions and we may use them in a future show. Record a voice message here: https://sayhi.chat/rmc2b  Or, email Michela at michela.tindera@ft.com, or message her on Twitter at @mtindera07 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  For further reading: Sixth Street commits $125mn to buy new US women’s football club Why investors are cashing in on women’s sport What private equity means for football UK women’s football needs ‘strategic’ investor to sustain growth - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  On Twitter, follow Sara Germano (@germanotes), Saffeya Ahmed (@saffeya-ahmed) and Michela Tindera (@mtindera07) Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

About 30 years ago, an Australian investment company called Macquarie figured out how to turn public utilities into lucrative assets. This strategy helped catapult the company into the biggest infrastructure investor in the world. Now, its services range from delivering tap water to London to transporting gas across the United States. But recently it has emerged that one of Macquarie’s former assets, Thames Water, is struggling, and the utility’s consumers are feeling the consequences. We sit down with the FT’s infrastructure correspondent Gill Plimmer to discuss what we can learn from Thames Water’s troubles and what happens when private investments meet a public necessity.  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  For further reading: Managed by Macquarie: the Australian group with a grip on global infrastructure The dangers of asset managers when it comes to long-term infrastructure How the Thames Water-gate burst Thames Water travails threaten to plunge privatised sector into crisis - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  On Twitter, follow Gill Plimmer (@gillplimmer1) and Topher Forhecz (@ForheczT) Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.