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WNBA Weighs How To Handle Dream Co-Owner After Comments

Kelly Loeffler this week reaffirmed that she will not give up her stake in the Dreamgetty images

The WNBA is "grappling with questions" about whether Atlanta Dream co-Owner and U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) "can remain in her position" following her controversial comments this week, according to Sopan Deb of the N.Y. TIMES. WNBA players in '16 were "among the first professional athletes in the U.S. to demonstrate against police brutality." In '18, the league "partnered with Planned Parenthood for the 'Take a Seat, Take a Stand' initiative." These initiatives make one wonder whether Loeffler's "values can coexist with the WNBA's." WNBPA Exec Dir Terri Jackson said that the union "planned to meet" with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to "discuss next steps in addressing Loeffler's role in the WNBA." It is "unclear whether the WNBA will sanction Loeffler any further," but she has "given no indication that she plans on stepping down as owner." In fact, Loeffler on Wednesday said that she would "not be giving up her ownership stake" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/10).

OPPOSING VALUES: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Louise Radnofsky notes neither the league nor union "would comment on whether they would try to force Loeffler to sell her stake in the team." A spokesperson for the Dream said that "only the team's players and staff were focused on other things." The team said, "The Atlanta Dream is not a political entity -- we are in the business of sports and entertainment" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/10). THE UNDEFEATED's Sean Hurd noted N.Y. Liberty G Layshia Clarendon "has had enough." Clarendon in response to Loeffler's criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement wrote, "Now eyes have turned on us in a moment of turmoil, our Donald Sterling moment." Loeffler is the "anti-movement." Clarendon: "The WNBA's statement was a good statement, but it's not enough. It's not enough to say she's just not a part of the Board of Governors, because she is still a 'Governor-owner,' she still co-governs the team. The players have spoken -- she does not align with our league" (THEUNDEFEATED.com, 7/9). 

CALL TO ACTION: ESPN's Holly Rowe said, "Ownership is not so simple to resolve in a quick manner and the players were loud and they were uniform in their disgust for this statement." Rowe said as an "owner of their organization, it is incumbent on (Loeffler) to listen to her employees, to listen to the women who are representing her team. That does not seem to be the case." Rowe added, "We've seen prominent people, like (former NBAer) Baron Davis and other people, step up and say, 'We would be willing to invest and takeover the ownership of that team,' because they do not believe there is room for a woman with these views" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 7/8).

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