WNBA Archives - Northland

Opinion: Why we bought the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream

Rachel Greene — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 15:41:31 +0000

By Suzanne Abair, Renee Montgomery, and Larry Gottesdiener

In 2020, The Atlanta Dream altered the course of history while navigating a pandemic and professional sports in a bubble, presenting an awe-inspiring profile in courage to the nation and the world. We invested in The Dream to support, protect, and honor the fearless legacy of these elite athletes.

The Dream franchise will be stewarded by two highly accomplished women, Dream President Suzanne Abair and Vice President Renee Montgomery.

Suzanne is a tireless, unflappable leader, who balances business acumen with integrity and heart. As President and COO of Northland, Suzanne transformed the firm’s corporate culture, ensuring that employees are heard, valued, and respected. In her work as Director of YW Boston, Suzanne championed an organization with the mission of eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity. Suzanne’s professional and personal experiences are directly aligned with the values of the WNBA.

Renee’s accomplishments are well-known: WNBA All Star, two-time WNBA Champion, Sixth Woman of the Year. What is not as well known are the risks that she took to set aside her income and a lifetime of work to support social justice, voting reform, and her adopted community: The ATL. Renee is genuine, passionate, thoughtful, and unwaveringly positive. The Renee Montgomery Foundation – Moments Equal Momentum – is championing the rebirth of Morris Brown College, among other important local causes.

And Larry? Larry’s love of women’s sports began decades ago watching as his gritty first-born daughter, already an accomplished track star, joined the boys’ wrestling team because her high school did not have a girls’ team. And his love of hoops? Well Larry is a “Whaler” from New London, Connecticut, a historic basketball program that most recently produced Kris Dunn of the Atlanta Hawks. And of course, his passion for women’s hoops was cemented when his home state university, UConn, captured the nation’s attention during the undefeated season of 1996, led by Hall of Famer, Rebecca Lobo.

Over the last 25 years, we followed (or, in Renee’s case, played in) the WNBA with a growing respect for this unabashedly progressive league. The “W” survived and thrived in the face of many of the same systemic barriers – access, investment, infrastructure, representation – that entrench inequities within our society. In the summer of 2020, we witnessed the players of The Dream express their pain, advocate for social justice, and speak truth to power. We were inspired by their refusal to “just shut up and dribble,” and by the professional and personal risks they took endorsing the ex-Atlanta Dream owner’s opponent, Rev. Raphael Warnock.

On January 5th, we watched as The Dream’s activism was pivotal in changing the balance of power in our government. We embraced the euphoria that ensued, until the next day when insurrectionists stormed our Capitol and attempted to subvert our democracy. We felt compelled to take a stand to amplify the message of the Atlanta Dream and promote change and social justice. We called WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to inquire whether the WNBA had a deep-pocketed and like-minded owner-investor ready to close before the start of the historic 25th season.

We articulated our vision of a long-term commitment to the team, the city of Atlanta, and the league. As Cathy shared her own infectious excitement for the future of the league, she encouraged us to pursue our interest in The Dream with a clear message that the upfront investment would be significant, a long-term horizon critical, and a progressive culture, essential. In a bit of a whirlwind, we closed two months later.

So, what is our mission? Our mission is to create the flagship franchise in the WNBA, to respect our players as athletes and people, to give back to the community, and to build an organization that honors the legacy of our name – The Atlanta Dream – by rising to meet the fierce urgency of now.

What about “The Game?” Women’s hoops is an extraordinary blend of speed, skill, and grit. The 2021 Dream is loaded with incredible talent. Equally impressive, though, is the professionalism with which the players have embraced us and their passion to create a championship culture.

To our current and future players, to the legions of worldwide Dream fans, to the city of Atlanta we say: We are here to elevate, win, inspire, and captivate. Together. We are excited about this journey, and we are in it for the long run.

Suzanne Abair, Renee Montgomery and Larry Gottesdiener are owners of The Atlanta Dream.

The post Opinion: Why we bought the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream appeared first on Northland.

WNBA Approves Sale of Atlanta Dream to Larry Gottesdiener — Former Dream Player Renee Montgomery to be Member of Ownership Group

Rachel Greene — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 14:00:47 +0000

Atlanta, Georgia (February 26, 2021) – The WNBA and NBA Boards of Governors have unanimously approved the sale of the Atlanta Dream to Larry Gottesdiener, Chairman of Northland, an industry-leading national real estate firm. The three-member investor group is comprised of former Dream star Renee Montgomery, Northland President and Chief Operating Officer Suzanne Abair, and Gottesdiener.

“With the unanimous WNBA and NBA votes, today marks a new beginning for the Atlanta Dream organization and we are very pleased to welcome Larry Gottesdiener and Suzanne Abair to the WNBA,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “I admire their passion for women’s basketball, but more importantly, have been impressed with their values which are consistent with what the WNBA stands for. I am also thrilled that former WNBA star Renee Montgomery will be joining the ownership group as an investor and executive for the team. Renee is a trailblazer who has made a major impact both in the game and beyond.”

“It is a privilege to join a team of inspiring women who strive for excellence on the court and equity off the court,” said Larry Gottesdiener. “I would like to express my gratitude to Commissioner Engelbert, Commissioner Silver, and the WNBA and NBA Boards of Governors for the opportunity.”

Two-time WNBA champion Renee Montgomery will be the first former player to become both an owner and executive of a WNBA team. Montgomery sat out the 2020 season to focus on social justice issues and recently announced her retirement from the league after 11 seasons.

“My Dream has come true,” said Renee 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. I invite you to join me as the Dream builds momentum in Atlanta!”

Founded in 2007, the Dream has qualified for the WNBA Playoffs eight times and has reached the WNBA Finals three times. The team’s former owners, Dream Too LLC, the Atlanta Dream ownership group, purchased the team in 2011.

Mary Brock and Kelly Loeffler commented on the transaction saying, “Ten years ago we stepped up to keep the Dream in Atlanta, as an important asset for a vibrant and diverse city. It was also important to us to help level the playing field for women’s professional sports. We are proud of what we accomplished and wish the team well in their next chapter. We will always value the hard work and dedication, and the memories, fans and friendships that sustained our commitment to the Atlanta Dream over the last decade.”

The Dream will play the 2021 season at the Gateway Center Arena at College Park, a multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue. The 2021 WNBA regular season schedule will be announced at a later date.

About Larry Gottesdiener
Larry Gottesdiener, Founder and Chairman of Northland Investment Corporation, a $10 billion real estate private equity firm, charts Northland’s long-term strategy, oversees innovative mixed-used developments, and guides philanthropy, engagement, and activism. Northland has been recognized by the industry in lists that include Best Places to Work in Multifamily and Best Places to Work in Multifamily for Women. Northland’s philanthropy is focused on empowering women, combating racism, and ending homelessness.

About the WNBA

Entering its 25th season in 2021, the WNBA is a bold, progressive basketball league that stands for the power of women. Featuring 12 teams, the W is a unique sports property that combines competition and entertainment with a commitment to diversity and inclusion and social responsibility. Through its world-class athletes, the in-game fan experience, TV and digital broadcasts, digital and social content and community outreach programs, the league celebrates and elevates the game of basketball and the culture around it.

In 2020, the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) signed a groundbreaking eight-year CBA that charts a new course for women’s basketball – and women’s sports overall – with a focus on increased player compensation, improvements to the player experience, expanded career development opportunities and resources specifically tailored to the female professional athlete. Key elements of the agreement are supported through the league’s new partnership platform, WNBA Changemakers. Inaugural WNBA Changemakers include AT&T, Deloitte and Nike. In addition, during the 2020 season, the WNBA and WNBPA launched the WNBA Justice Movement forming the Social Justice Council with the mission of being a driving force of necessary change and continuing conversations about race and voting rights, among other important societal issues.

The post WNBA Approves Sale of Atlanta Dream to Larry Gottesdiener — Former Dream Player Renee Montgomery to be Member of Ownership Group appeared first on Northland.