Former WNBA Star Renee Montgomery Buys Atlanta Dream from Kelly Loeffler

Former Atlanta Dream guard Renee Montgomery made history when her three-member investor group was approved to purchase the WNBA Atlanta Dream team.

Montgomery is now the first former player to become both an owner and executive of a WNBA franchise.

Today? @ReneeMontgomery 😍

-1st former player to become an owner AND executive of a WNBA franchise. -WNBA Champion 2015 and 2017.
-All-Star with the Connecticut Sun
-Sixth Woman of the Year in 2012
Go girl!!!@wnba @nba @nbatv #internationalwomensday #internationalwomensmonth pic.twitter.com/om9WRi65PK

— Allie LaForce (@ALaForce) March 11, 2021

Montgomery’s investor team includes Suzanne Abair, president of Northland Investment Corp. in Massachusetts and real estate investor Larry Gottesdiener, who was approved as majority owner of the team.

The team was previously part-owned by Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler, who faced pressure from WNBA players to step away over her opposition to the league’s racial justice initiatives.

Loeffler bought in 2010 alongside Mary Brock. Loeffler, a staunch Trump supporter, faced backlash when she publicly condemned the WNBA’s support for the Black Lives Matter movement in an open letter.

Dream and Mercury players are wearing “Vote Warnock” shirts to their game today.

Raphael Warnock is running against Kelly Loeffler for Senate. Loeffler is a co-owner of the Dream and said she opposes the Black Lives Matter movement.

(via @sportsiren)pic.twitter.com/w1INikFQPQ

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 4, 2020

“The truth is, we need less—not more politics in sports. In a time when polarizing politics is as divisive as ever, sports has the power to be a unifying antidote,” said Loeffler. “And now more than ever, we should be united in our goal to remove politics from sports.”

Mongomery understands the significance of her new purchase.

“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,” Montgomery said.

Last year, Montgomery sat out the 2020 season to focus on social justice issues. She recently announced her retirement from the league after 11 seasons and two WNBA championships.

After much thought, I’ve decided to opt out of the 2020 WNBA season. There’s work to be done off the court in so many areas in our community. Social justice reform isn’t going to happen overnight but I do feel that now is the time and Moments equal Momentum. Lets keep it going!

— Renee Montgomery (@ReneeMontgomery) June 18, 2020

“I think it’s great that Renee has stepped up after she retired from playing the game to continue having an impact on the game,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. “I’ve seen her strong work ethic. I’ve seen her advocacy and knowledge of the game and I’m sure that’s going to be an asset to Larry and Suzanne and a huge benefit to the team.”