Laurel Richie Formally Introduced As WNBA's New President

NBA Commissioner David Stern formally introduced new WNBA President Laurel Richie via a media conference call this afternoon. “We think Laurel is going to be a person who will not only bring marketing skills but bring team building skills and be able to move the W to new heights,” Stern said. The WNBA begins its season on June 3 and Richie will begin her new job as WNBA President on May 16. She joins the WNBA after working as Girl Scouts of America CMO since '08. Prior to the Girl Scouts, she spent more than 20 years working at Oligvy & Mather. She has no previous professional sports background.

“My eyes are wide open to the challenges ahead, but I don’t feel daunted by it,” she said. “I have been a viewer of games, not necessarily an attender of games. That’s something as I take on the marketing portion of this work I think we are going to have to address, converting the interested to the actively engaged.” Stern said that he expects the WNBA to break even this season. “Our teams are doing better than they’ve ever done.”