Former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler of Georgia, the Republican politician who was unseated by Rev. Raphael Warnock this January, has been ousted as a co-owner of the Atlanta Dream, the WNBA team she partially bought in 2010. After Loeffler called the Black Lives Matter movement “divisive” last summer and criticized the league for dedicating the 2020 season to social justice, players on her own team started publicly campaigning against her in this year’s historic Senate race, a moment that Warnock himself later called a “turning point” for his victory.
The political discrepancy between the Trump-supporting Loeffler and the Dream, the majority of whom are Black women (some of which identify as LGBTQ+) who have continually spoken out for racial justice, has attracted national attention for months. Even NBA star LeBron James expressed in January that he wanted to help get the team away from Loeffler.
Finally, the controversial co-ownership has now ended. In a historic move, the league announced Friday that the team is being sold to a three-member investor group, which includes Renee Montgomery, the openly queer, former Dream player who retired last June in order to focus on social justice activism. It makes her the first retired player to become both an owner and a WNBA executive. (And yes, this also means she has taken over her old boss’ job.)
The other owners are Larry Gottesdiener and Suzanne Abair, two executives from the Massachusetts-based real estate firm Northland Investment Corp. Abair is also an out member of the LGBTQ+ community, according to Outsports.
“With the unanimous WNBA and NBA [board] 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,” Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. Engelbert added that she is “thrilled” that Montgomery is joining the ownership group, calling her a “trailblazer” both on and off the court.
Montgomery, who won two WNBA championships during her time with the Minnesota Lynx, celebrated the history-making announcement. “My Dream has come true,” she said in a statement. “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!”
The news was celebrated on social media by several WNBA players and other prominent stars in the basketball world, including LeBron James, who said that he was “so proud” of Montgomery. Sen. Warnock also extended his congratulations in a tweet.
Montgomery was recently honored in the 2021 TIME100 NEXT list with a tribute penned by Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who called the WNBA star “an inspirational leader” and “part of a new generation embodying the conscience of our communities.”
“Through a series of initiatives focused on education and political engagement, Renee has cemented her place in Atlanta’s long history of leadership on civil rights,” Bottoms added. It looks like now Montgomery’s activism will also extend to her new role as a WNBA executive and owner. Congratulations, Renee!
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