The Atlanta Dream is proving its commitment to equality with a bold organizational move.
The WNBA approved the sale of the team to an investor group that includes former Dream player Renee Montgomery, who opted out of last season to focus on social justice initiatives.
“My Dream has come true,” said Montgomery. “Breaking barriers for minorities and women by being the first former WNBA player to have both a stake in ownership and a leadership role with the team is an opportunity that I take very seriously.”
The new group of investors, which also includes Larry Gottesdiener, chairman of real estate firm Northland, and Suzanne Abai, president and COO of Northland, means the team is formally ousting former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler from ownership — she held a 49% stake.
Loeffler previously faced heavy criticism from WNBA players league-wide for opposing social justice initiatives — specifically the Black Lives Matter movement.
Players across the league — including several on the Atlanta Dream — spearheaded a campaign to elect Loeffler’s democratic challenger, Reverend Raphael Warnock. Warnock eventually won the seat in a January run-off.
Loeffler and Mary Brock combined $1 million in 2011 to join Kathy Betty as investors in the Atlanta Dream. They took over as sole owners in 2012. “We are proud of what we accomplished,” Loeffler and Brock said in a joint statement.
