By John Lombardo, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal
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Orender Leaving WNBA At Year's End
To Launch Her Own Marketing Company |
WNBA President Donna Orender will leave her job on Dec. 31 to launch her own marketing company. Orender was named WNBA President in April '05, replacing Val Ackerman. Orender helped boost league marketing efforts, including creating "marquee" sponsorships that put company logos on WNBA team jerseys. During her tenure, the league signed an eight-year extension of its television deal that puts 30 WNBA games on ABC and ESPN2. “She continued to grow the league and she has been an incredibly articulate spokesman in raising general awareness of the league,” said NBA Commissioner David Stern. Orender will continue to work as a consultant for the WNBA. "In a six-year time frame we made a lot of progress and based on that feeling, the time was right for me to go and do different things," Orender said. No replacement has been named. NBA Senior VP/Team Marketing & Business Operations Chris Granger will run the WNBA on an interim basis. “We are covered in the short run and we will begin the search process,” Stern said.
