February 26, 2021
ALERT: Atlanta Dream sold to group including Renee Montgomery
By The Next
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The Atlanta Dream have been sold to a group led by Larry Gottesdiener, chairman of real estate company Northland, along with Northland executive Suzanne Abair and former Dream guard Renee Montgomery.
“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. 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.”
Montgomery helped lead the charge in electing Raphael Warnock to the U.S. Senate, defeating the now-former owner of the Dream, Kelly Loeffler, in a special election this past January.
Now Montgomery owns Loeffler’s former team.
Terri Jackson, WNBPA Executive Director, said in a statement: “It is time for the women of the Atlanta Dream and their fans to have an opportunity to heal and move forward. It is our fervent wish that we shall never see again such an abuse of power and arrogant display of privilege. It is our hope that no one will ever again attempt to use the players for individual political gain or favor. Those actions were unbelievably selfish, reckless and dangerous. And those who would conduct themselves in that manner have absolutely no place in our sport. Because this was not our burden to bear or our problem to solve, this is our final statement on the matter. “
Much more to come on this story, with full coverage of this afternoon’s press conference to come.
