On February 26, 2021 a change was officially made in the WNBA that goes far beyond the hardwood.
History was made as a three-member investor group was approved to purchase the Atlanta Dream. Larry Gottesdiener, Renee Montgomery and Suzanne Abair make up this strong force that is this investor group. Montgomery has become the first former player to become both an owner and executive of a WNBA franchise. THIS, this is the breaking barriers.
Pressure began to fall on former Senator Kelly Loeffler as she angered many across the country, most specifically in the WNBA. Loeffler's outward opposition to the league's racial injustice initiative sparked players to push for Loeffler to give up her part-ownership of the Dream.
Yes, she had to go. Not only in her role as Senator but as part-owner of the Atlanta Dream.
What prompted Montgomery to begin considering this journey was a tweet from LeBron James. James mentioned the idea of becoming a part of such a group that would take ownership of the Dream. That tweet sparked something in Montgomery. It sparked the 'Anything Is Possible' mentality in her mind. Montgomery was also inspired by James' role in the 'More Than A Vote' campaign. This campaign works to increase voter turnout and reduce voter suppression in the Black community. Montgomery used this all as fuel and to truly get the ball rolling.
Montgomery has been a voice. She sat out of the 2020 WNBA season to turn her focus on social injustice issues. She recently informed us of her retirement from the league.11 seasons and two championships later.
Montgomery and players around the league pressed for Loeffler to sell her 49% stake in the Dream. What transpired this was the letter that Loeffler wrote to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, that she objected the league's advocacy for racial injustice and the Black Lives Matter movement. As Raphael Warnock made his candidacy for Georgia Senate, Dream players put their support behind him. They wore "Vote Warnock" T-shirts to show their backing. The high-profile campaigning against Loeffler may have been a difficult position, but these women did not back down.
Engelbert stated, "I want to take this time to thank the WNBA players, particularly the Dream players. They were put in a difficult position. I was proud of the way they handled the situation. They stood for their values, they stood for professionalism. They served as role models with their advocacy and continue to do that."
Throughout the pressure that these players continued to apply, this is what captured the attention of Larry Gottesdiener to begin this purchasing process. He noted how highly he respected the fact that Dream players refused to shut up and dribble.
"They found their collective voice and the world listened. We were inspired by these brave women who advocated sports and activism in the midst of the pandemic and we want to celebrate and honor them," said Gottesdiener.
So no, athletes should not just stick to sports. Athletes are using their platform, their voice, to make these strides and these changes. This is a new beginning for the Atlanta Dream. A giant step for the WNBA. These are broken barriers for minorities and for women. Renee Montgomery may be the first former player to become both part-owner and executive of a WNBA franchise, but I can assure you that she will not be the last.
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