TORONTO — Just days ahead of its debut in the Northern Super League, AFC Toronto has a new majority owner in Mark Mitchell.
The Michigan-based Mitchell is founder of Mitchell Family Office (MFO), which has invested in more than 20 companies since its inception in 2015 and is currently involved in about a dozen.
While many of Mitchell's investments have been in the health care-industry, he was looking for an entree into pro sports and was hooked when he talked to AFC Toronto CEO Helena Ruken, head of the original ownership group, and league officials.
"My thesis for investing is investing in people first and then the actual business second," he said in an interview. "And after I got to meet Helena and the founders of the team and the league, I was so insanely impressed. Their drive, their mission in wanting to do things for the betterhood of women in sports, I was completely drawn to them."
AFC Toronto opens play Saturday against Montreal Roses FC at BMO Field.
The 60-year-old Mitchell, whose home base of Birmingham, Mich., is 45 kilometres from Windsor, has Canadian heritage. His grandfather emigrated to Canada and his father, now 85 and based in Michigan, grew up in Winnipeg.
Given the role of women in his existing health-care investments, Mitchell said he welcomed the chance "to do something to give back to younger women, to give them dreams and goals."
Ruken says the plan was always to add a majority owner, adding Mitchell's "major investment … sets us up for long-term sustainability and success."
"This is a very good day," she said in an interview.
Ruken said the original founding team will continue to lead the club and oversee all the day-to-day operations. Mitchell backed that up, calling the existing management team and league leadership "second to none."
"I would say in my professional 45-year career, they have to be the best I've ever seem," said Mitchell, who investedd in his first company at age 15.
The club's founding partners, who had ties to North Toronto Soccer Club, were Ruken, Brenda Ha and husband Kamal Sandhu, Jill Burgin, Mike Ruthard, Billy Wilson and Shamez Mangalji.
Ruken is now the club's CEO while Wilson is the club's sporting director and Sandhu chief financial officer.
Some 30 others, including tennis player Milos Raonic and star sprinter Andre De Grasse, have since invested. All are still involved in the franchise.
"I left them all in. I think it's good for the community, I think it's great for the team," said Mitchell.
Mitchell has five kids with the two youngest, aged five and eight, both soccer players.
"We are very proud that we have found someone whose values align so well with ours, with commitment to community and to equity and to creating a really lasting impact on professional women's sport in Toronto and in Canada," Ruken said.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 15, 2025.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
