Philanthropist.

No the Atlanta Dream and the recently
appointed honorary Georgia Tech allow.

Please give a warm Georgia Tech.

Welcome to our guest.

Mary Rocky Brock thank

you thank.

Thanks so

much that was a great introduction to
a lot of my talking points but that's OK.

I have to say I couldn't be
more proud to be an official

Yellowjacket now after last Thursday night
that was quite in of it at the white and

gold ceremony and it just made me
thrilled to work on behalf of campaign

Georgia Tech to raise one point five
billion dollars for this institute and

I can promise you at the end of
my talk when I have well you.

I hope I'm going to have a little
commercial for campaign Georgia Tech.

So I look forward to that one anyway

I did grow up with John Brock
in a small Southern town on

the Gulf Coast of Mississippi must point
and you can see a picture of that here.

It's right at the end of lover's lane and
I want to assure you we were never there.

But I have known John since
I was ten years ago and

we have a lot of history together and
as you may or may not have heard I

was with John when he got his acceptance
to Georgia Tech back in Knight teens

sixty six and it was a big day for
him and since then for four decades.

It's been very important to my life.

So that my my background with John and

I'll move on to what I'm doing and why I'm
really here today as I went through my

life and had my college years
finished my undergraduate degree and

graduate degree at Miami University
of Ohio was an educator

had my family worked in the community
there were many times when due to.

Circumstances of opportunity location or
geography.

I did the so-called reinvent myself

I'll be the first to admit that never in a
million years did I think I would be here

in Atlanta Georgia in my sixty's
as a koan or the Atlanta Dream.

I love to stay in my sixty's.

Well one thing that Kelly Lefler and
I my co-author and I love to say is that.

She is a product of Title nine.

You know when women were able to play
sports and I was pretty Title nine.

So no I did not play basketball.

Kelly is about five eleven
did play basketball.

Anyway I never thought as I said that the
leather dream would be in my life but I'm

extremely happy that it is as we move done
John and I moved on through our lives.

I was involved in many organizations
whether it was heading up community events

organizations like our interest in America
and that's what this picture is related to

just an hour and a trip to Malawi which
is where America's has some initiatives.

John and are big supporters of that.

So those are the kinds of things
that I was doing as I lead up to my

what I call my Atlanta years because
in spite of the fact that John and

I were married when we were at
Georgia Tech when he was at Georgia Tech.

We never lived here in the adult
world until seven years ago but

as I was a various boards and doing things
that you know were very important to me.

I never thought that I would be involved
in something that three years ago

has turned out to be as inspirational
as anything I've ever done

never would have expected it.

You heard in my introduction that
I'm involved in organizations from

trustee at Spelman College.

Again women to assures
A New Look Foundation which

speaks to my interest in young people and
better lives for them.

Horizons many other many other things.

That lead to the intersection
between what I've done before and

why I did the Atlanta Dream.

OK.

So I mentioned before never would
have expected to be doing this but

how often when you are in this decade
of your life do you get a chance

to work at a business and
have the chance to make it successful.

Not only as fun in sports.

I mean that's certainly a fact
this is a fun business and

we do enjoy it but for
Kelly Lefler and me.

We have is a clear goal to make the
Atlanta Dream work as a small business and

that's no small go.

Why is it important that
women participate in sports.

I mean I think that there are a lot
of things in life that you say

that you can't prove but the outcomes for

women in sports are very easy to prove
I mean the statistics are out there.

If you participate in sports
at any time in your life.

The probability that you will graduate
from high school in college is increased

there are lower teen pregnancies
your career in your thirty's.

Clearly you have better
careers in your thirty's and

something that might interest some of the
women in the audience and even the min and

the audience is that if you look at
executives in Fortune five hundred

companies or other successful companies
in the U.S. and across the world eighty

percent of those women participate in
sports at some point in their lives and

I have two good examples here that
can discolor out because I know them.

Julie Francis is a senior executive at the
Coca-Cola Company great athlete then and

now Julie and Camilla Foster next to the.

Next the DIA and I can guarantee you.

She's the first to admit
that she's an I T.

Georgia tech geek and
she's not mad at me for saying that.

But anyway.

Camille again an athlete then and now but.

That's proven across the board.

So clearly the outcomes are very good for
sports and

we all know it could be music art drama
but what we're concentrating on and

what I concentrate on is the impact that
sports has on the lives of young women.

Before I get into the business aspect of
it though I want to discuss a little bit

of the history of the Debbie N.B.A..

Back in one nine hundred ninety six.

For those of you who
were here in Atlanta or

those of you who just know
that the Elim picks were here.

David Stern who was the N.B.A.
commissioner at that time and he was still

the N.B.A. commissioner saw the excitement
around basketball women's basketball.

That was the first time in the Olympics
that basketball head been a sport and

people were just overwhelmed with it
thrilled with it and so he just we've got

these arenas of the N.B.A. that are used
in the summer in the offseason.

Why don't we consider doing something that

energizes people around women and
basketball.

One nine hundred ninety seven one year
later was the inaugural season of the dead

the N.B.A. And here we are now still still
successful still say it's sustainable and

we enter our seventeenth season and
to be clear there are a lot of sports for

women that are important
across the country.

Soccer is one we all loved watching
the soccer team this past summer and

soccer is incredible but

it has been very difficult to sustain
a women's soccer professional league.

So you know for better or worse.

It's sustainable and we're very
proud proud of that act a little

my dishonor John insisted that
I not have a glass of beer.

Julie would be happy about that too.

Anyway.

OK So when the Debbie N.B.A.

began there were eighteen some of those
teams have been sustainable there's been

a little change but today there
are twelve teams eleven and each team.

Eastern Conference Western Conference
you can see that the Atlanta Dream is in

the Eastern Conference.

Each year only about ten
rookies ten plus rookies

depending on the year make a deadly N.B.A.
team make the training camp and.

It's really tough for them to for
that to be sustainable.

Usually they have to play in Europe
a few years come back to the U.S.

it's just a very very elite
league hundred thirty two women.

We have about thirty who are international
it's definitely the go to

in in the world for elite basketball.

And so you figure of all of the seniors
who are graduating and having played in C.

double a basketball a very small
number of them make the deadly N.B.A.

And I said graduating.

That's another key point that I
haven't mentioned one difference one

of the many differences in Debbie N.B.A.
and the N.B.A.

is that the debit to be in
the Debbie N.B.A. you have to be a college

graduate and if you're an international
player you have to be twenty but most of

those players are also college graduates
like we have two international players

they're college graduates so that that's
the key difference these women are smart.

Well spoken good role models.

I'm not saying the N.B.A.
doesn't have all those characteristics but

just think about that for a minute
we're very very proud of that fact and

it makes for
a very very different differently.

Six teams have the independent
ownership model

sixteen's have a model that's
part in be a part in H.L. part.

Debbi N.B.A. so.

There are only two teams that
have women only models and

those are the Seattle Storm
an Atlanta Dream.

So again we're very proud of that Kelly
and I think that's something that we

think is very important something
we really want to make successful.

OK Here we go.

There are thirty four games this.

Let's talk a little bit about.

Again there are thirty four games per
season seventeen home seventeen away.

Some statistics and we're
Georgia Tech Writer you love numbers.

So the three point line for
the Debbie N.B.A.

is about a foot and a half longer
than in C. Devil a six inches shorter

about then the N.B.A. but we're working
on that we figure they could do it.

The game link is thirty is forty
minutes the N.B.A. is forty

eight minutes the shot clock and this is
a key statistic for the Debbie N.B.A.

the shot clock is twenty four seconds for
the IN C. double A It's thirty seconds.

So a different game but
a real fast move for these

college seniors who are coming into the
heavy N.B.A. very very fast moving game.

OK.

Let's talk a little bit about N.B.A.
growth.

Clearly there are challenges and
running this business.

There's no doubt about it.

However every year we have more
attendance ten percent growth

in season ticket holders the Atlanta Dream
this year has a twenty percent increase in

group ticket sales twenty percent
increase in merchandise and

all those things go straight
to our our bottom line.

They're very very important for
us having exposure is very important

as well we have an E.S.P.N. deal that
goes through two thousand and sixteen.

It's a seven year deal that is very
important one night about which were

extremely proud.

Is that the second game
of the finals on E.S.P.N.

and in the two thousand and
twelve season had a record audience and

you know that's what we all want
right record sales that we're in

a company of sales record audiences this
is if we want that kind of exposure.

A draft.

Yes we have a draft we're
just like the big boys.

There is a draft this year
will be on primetime.

Out of Bristol Connecticut which
is where it's pianists looked.

It.

It's going to be on April
fifteenth at eight o'clock and

it's going to be very very exciting.

This is a year where it's not
only one player like the year.

Maya Moore an Atlanta player
came out if you can but

we have three very very premier players
coming out of the college ranks and

I think it's pretty definite these
women will make the Debbie N.B.A.

teams that draft them and
they are Brittney Griner out Baylor she

is sky high on the seven feet and
yes she can dunk.

We say it's not important that
we play a below the rim game but

we're OK with her dunking any time she
comes through Atlanta because that's going

to bring everybody and to watch her she's
phenomenal and Skylar Diggins out of

Notre Dame again a very very elite premier
player and a lana del a Don at a Maryland.

Again a really really good player.

So they probably will go in that
order to Phoenix Chicago and tell.

But they're all extremely good and
they'll all be really fun to watch.

Now we aren't getting any of those
players we don't have a chance

because our seasons and
our records have been way to good and

it's just like the other dress the worse
year you have the higher draft you have so

those three teams are extremely
lucky to be getting those players.

OK league marketing and our partners.

That's extremely important to us
if you look at the three areas

that bring in our income
it's the gate our tickets.

It's sponsorships our
local sponsorships and

it's what we get from the league
passed down through the league.

There are league sponsorships and
we get broadcast revenues well.

All past it.

So they do not sustain our league but
if they can sell just like with the N.B.A.

just like with the N.F.L. If there
are league sponsorships that comes down to

the teams so Boost Mobile in one thousand
and eleven became the very first

League jersey sponsor for
the Debbie N.B.A. it what that means is.

For the amount of money they paid which
was very significant the Boost Mobile.

Is on all of our jerseys.

Now it's really only so

far only ten out of twelve because two had
a deal with other ability companies but.

That money still gets passed to
them regardless and in due time

that will be on their jerseys as well but
that's that is a very key thing to happen.

League wide and
it's very important to us is one of the.

One of the twelve teams these multi-year

sponsorships Jersey sponsorships
can also be for independent teams.

There are had been seventeen.

In the N.B.A.
that have had jerseys sponsorships

changes from year to year this
year I think there will be five.

Those are key to the bottom
line line of any tame

they're usually seven figure deals and
they're usually multi-year so

extremely important in general
if it were an expansion team so

in general those have gone to teams
that have been around longer.

It's clearly one of our objectives
it would impact us hugely and

it's I would say it's
at the top of our list.

OK.

So getting down to a local level
because you can see this on either

side we have our own marketing
sponsorships our two major

sponsors are Coca-Cola and errands they've
been sponsors since the dream began.

And they're very important to us.

They're multi-year sponsors.

So we always like to have a group of
multi-year sponsors that are these two.

We also have a Grady Hospital and
we also have Georgia Power.

We like to grow our sponsorships.

In other words we like to keep
the ones we have and grow them and

then we also every year want new
is we don't want to lose any and

we generally don't listen because our
contention is always been that we reach

a broad spectrum of audiences
in a broad spectrum across the.

The people who are out there
where there are you know Mary.

Or single or min or lesbian or
whatever you name it

we reach them all and fact the audience
segment that is usually said to be

the one that's the toughest to reach
our guys you know guys like John Brock.

You know who are in their fifty's or
sixty's it's like these guys think

you know I don't want to watch a group
of women play but it's just not true get

those kind of guys to our games and
they are blown away by the athleticism.

The quickness the interest.

I mean what they do is they look at it and
say this is the kind of game.

I used to play.

Whereas in the N.B.A.

it's wait to the last you know
five minutes and it's dunking it.

I mean it really is the entertainment
value of our game is really really huge.

Anyway.

Are our repeat ones are very good.

We haven't have one new in this year that
I'll give you an example Equifax we have

some that have gotten
bigger like dominoes.

And that's what we're
always always looking for.

Now the acronym that I have grown to not

love over the last three years
is our return on investment

because you go talk to a sponsor and
they want you to prove there are.

If you had that in your
classes just forget about it.

It's it's like a bad word.

It's a bad word on our end it's probably
a good word on the end if you're trying to

get value for your company but
it's a very hard thing to prove in

the best of situations I mean
if you look at Super Bowl ads.

You can be sure it's very hard for

those companies to prove they
get their return on investment.

However it's our job to show them that
they get some kind of a value for

being a sponsor of the Atlanta Dream and
that's what we try to do it might

be with that we reach their women's groups
we might reach their minority groups but

we really have to show that there's
something we can do for them.

In addition to our community service.

I mean you're just not going to say
I really want to help young women so

let me go again.

You've got to go to a game because
it's good entertainment value and

those things are important but
they're not going to sell sponsorships.

I mean I can tell you
that from experience.

So we have to do things like an example
appear military appreciation and

sponsored by Domino's they love it.

Our audience loves it.

We get have three S. picks on court
presentation in arena presence and

P.A. announcements throughout the game.

There are no bigger standing ovations and
no not any more interaction.

Then when this presentation is made
that is the only time that Kelly and

I are on the court other than you know
maybe when I'm trying to drag John away

from the yelling at the referees.

But it's really a big big deal and
everyone loves it so that's just

an example of the kind of exposure you can
get and then we also said our televised.

I think I said for all of our games
sports out and that usually happens

multiple times our games are shown once
and you can watch them again and again.

So you know that's important as well
now we're going to show a little

video that I want to want to
be in advance of talking about

the dream team and so I think that

the

the the the

the the.

The.

Right now if you're valve Peterson and
you're in a game when that's going on.

She's rocking out right but.

Big fans of ours so dream the dream.

Our team our highlights.

OK we're five years and we're starting
our six season expansion team.

Our first season wasn't too great.

We had to get eleven players from
wherever International who we could get

who everybody else did it won.

However we have made the playoffs
in four of the five seizes

since that first season we've made
the playoffs every single season.

We're only one of two teams.

That's made the playoffs for
the last four years and

those are our second third fourth and
fifth year so that is phenomenal.

Our second year we did get
the number one draft choice.

Angela Cotchery and I think more about
her a little bit later but we have made.

The finals two years two thousand and
eleven two thousand and

twelve back to back
Eastern Conference Championships and

we feel like our record is what we know
it stands up to a record like no other.

And we can only get better and only go up.

OK She's our French us player.

No doubt if you didn't want
to come to a dream game for

any other reason come to see Angel.

She is amazing and the way she works
with the team is phenomenal to watch.

She has many many dream records and
many many Debbie N.B.A.

records even in her four years
as she's played four years.

We just signed her to
a multi-year contract and

that's very very important to
us the numbers are for Angel.

If she last year had the record for
most points per game.

Twenty one point four Think
twenty one point four.

She led the Debbie N.B.A.
in steals and two point five She

set the Deb in be a record last
year in free throws seventeen for

seventeen back in June last summer she
is just a phenomenal phenomenal player

in the finals and she's been in finals
two times she has the record for

the most points scored in the dead N.B.A.
finals thirty eight and

the most points scored in a Debbie N.B.A.
playoff game which is forty two.

I mean this is a young woman is only
played out of the University of Louisville

for four years so we have great hopes for
her she's dynamic.

She works the crowd.

She's crazy you know she makes
faces at her coach you name it.

She does it but
she's really fun to watch and

she's a dynamic player who's
really the leader of our team.

We have other players who are incredible.

I mentioned.

Sancia and Erika who are international
players Sancia has the record for

the dream for eighty two steals
in two thousand and twelve.

She and our minty are minty out
of the University of Mississippi.

Still to this day has records
at that school and track and

basketball that are phenomenal.

They both make year after year
the Debbie N.B.A. first team are said.

Team fence and defense.

We have to Fany Hayes who was
a rookie last year at OF U.

Conn and
she was in the all rookie team but

you figure this is a young woman who's
taking final exams and you know May June

starting the next day we had some Georgia
Tech players who did the same thing.

Who got their degree in the afternoon and
played in a game that night but

she's a young woman who come.

It did as it's very difficult for

a rookie to do came in and
made a difference right away.

We're really really happy
to have her on board in our

team with all of our good records and
still as you can imagine.

We also got the dead the N.B.A.

record last season pharma steals
pertain which was nine point eight.

The Olympics were last summer in London.

And we were well represented
leading up to it.

We had a lot of players who
were on their national team but

we had two players playing in the Olympics
and Jill for the Team USA and Erica for

Team Brazil and
they were both really phenomenal.

As you know Angel and
the team are the team and

Angel would brought home the gold medal.

Angel even though she was in a starter and
you know in basketball like in

all sports you always have your ideas
about why different things happen.

Geno is the coach and the starters
are all you can surprise surprise.

But even not being a starter.

She was the second leading
score on the dream team so

she's when she's on the court
she's phenomenal and she lead and

steals across all teams in
the Olympic threat of the Olympics.

So she was number one in steals I
mean this this young lady is best.

OK.

So thinking of the dream as a business.

I think we all know and you guys either
have been in business and are back in

school or you're undergraduates and
you're going to be in business.

Point in your life.

What is the key.

I'm sure you're hearing
from your professors.

It's all about leadership and
teamwork having good people in the right

positions making sure there's the right
chemistry that people work together.

What's the magic formula and
it's ever changing.

No one really knows.

So you have to be ready to react to what's
happening and react to this changes and

make sure that you're always on top of
the game and winning in sports is the same

thing just like winning in business
is that leadership and teamwork and

having the right mix of people and
everyone from our C.E.O. and

we have a C.E.O. who started just at
the end of last season actually pricing or

to our coaches to our staff who are work

around the clock staff to everyone
associated with the dream and of course.

Kelly and I offer what we can do
is say we're there to support you

every step of the way it takes
every single bit that you've got

to work together as a team
to succeed as a team.

You've got to function as a team and
you've got to be ready for change.

So you look at business
challenges that sports teams face

there the same kind of business
challenges that businesses face.

We just announced new
assistant coaches one brand

new Julie Plank who comes with
to us from much experience and

professional basketball and
much experience in college basketball she

played herself at State last
year we had Joe champion.

He's a Hall of Fame
coach he was phenomenal.

They're incredible we have been
had a new head coach last year and

this is important is that said
change is disconcerting at times and

you would rather be intentional
about it rather than reaction.

But you've got to play it both ways.

And we've had over the course of five
years to head coaches three changes in

assistant coaches three ownership groups.

We've had four C E O's and of our original
eleven players we have two of them and

maybe that would make you think Lou.

Is this a.

Dysfunctional.

No we're new we're brand new I
mean five years this league is in

seventeenth year we're in our six year.

That's just what you've got to deal with
and we try to deal with it as I said

in an intentional way most of the time but
we try to be ready to

deal with it in a reaction a reactionary
way if that's what we've got to do.

I wanted to talk about the challenges
with our players too and

this relates to the change our players.

Most of them that eleven out of ten out
of eleven of our players play in the off

season overseas from China Turkey
to Europe other Germany.

You name it they play there.

Russia Israel.

And the reason they do that is
they make additional money and

that they need that I mean this.

I said it's not the N.B.A.

and in certain ways and one way it's
clearly not is they don't make the kind of

money that you make in the N.B.A. That's
why when resists not when you're in that.

Why would they leave college to go and
do that they're not allowed to do it but

there's no point in it's not
that kind of business model.

So that's a challenge that we
face if they're playing eleven

at a twelve months a year.

We obviously have to deal with the fact
that they might get injuries that you

know their focus is a little different but
you know it's the way it goes.

They usually in their season in Europe.

Come straight into training camp.

So that's a challenge.

We also have just like other sports
teams free agency to deal with we have

a salary cap that's a million dollars All
teams do you know you can't come in and

say I'm Jerry Jones or Mark Cuban.

You know or whoever the Steinbrenner
shoot you can't do that.

It's very very controlled we think that
makes for a competitive league and

it's the only way to really grow
this league league had this kind of

controls in place so
we don't disagree with that at all.

In then obviously these players play
on their national teams back in two

thousand and eleven we were in the finals
in Erica disses a who was playing for

a team Brazil had to go in.

Played two games for her country and

missed two games of with us and we you
know we were headed toward the finals.

I mean that's really really tough but
that's something that

we just have to deal with is part of part
of change and part of reacting that.

I mentioned in the beginning that there
was a real intersection and my interest

historically and what I've done with my
life whether it's education our community

service and what I see with the dream and
there's clearly that intersection there.

I told you that our goal is
to run this as a business and

to succeed as a business and
that's very true but

the intersection of this this person and
the personal interest and

what we do with the dream is important we
have something called Debbie N.B.A. Cares.

India cares.

And actually there's India cares to
I don't want to completely destroy

the N.B.A. but it's where you really
feel that there's a responsibility for

these players to go out
into the communities and

talk to youth groups to go to
hospitals to go wherever it's thing.

It's thought that they would make
an impact and we clearly think that

now it can be league wide or
it can be based in Atlanta only and

we have everything from Dream pink
to reading to hospital visits

to assures a new look is involved
horizons this organization I'm

involved with is involved with the dream
anything that we can do either Boys and

Girls Club to get people to our games or
to go out and

visit them in the community
we think that's important and

with the role models that we
think these young women provide

We think that something that that's
important to us and that goes both ways.

You know we want to do that but

we also feel that we that the community
needs to give back to us.

Kelly and I say that owning the dream and

I don't mean this in a negative way
I'm going to tell you that up front.

Owning the dream is not philanthropy.

Not the philanthropy Atlantans need
to take ownership of the dream.

This isn't going to
succeed because Kelly and

I just say we're in this
no matter what I mean act.

I could say I want to give
my money to Georgia Tech.

And actually I have given my
money to Georgia Tech but

I really believe that I can also work
with a dream and make a difference

in the lives of young women and their
futures and I think this is something

that's important to do and whether
you're Peterson running this university.

Whether you're John Brock and running
Coca-Cola Enterprises or Steve south and

running the business.

Everybody wants to win.

I mean winning is really
what it's all about right.

It whatever your category
whatever your business is and so

we you know we do want to win.

We want to win a Debbie N.B.A.
championship.

We think that we can do that and
we think you know winning always

the better you do in your business
the better the business gets right.

So the more we win the more people
come to our games the more we energize

the community.

So it really is something
that has got to go both ways.

We want to get back to the community but

we feel like it's incumbent on
the community to give back to us.

Before I ran this out and very Carson
is going to be so happy I'm doing this.

I promised you a Georgia Tech commercial.

Now I said that of the things
that done in Atlanta.

One of them is work with John
on campaign Georgia Tech.

So here you are either undergraduates or
graduates.

And you're going to go out in the world
as a Georgia Tech graduate and

you might think that's important.

Now but
I can tell you based on our travels around

the country from Atlanta
to all fifty states.

I feel like two trips to Europe and
there's going to be a trip to Asia.

Coming up we find
Georgia Tech graduates are so

energized by having that
in their background.

I mean if you think it's important
now you're just going to think it.

More and
more important as time goes on and so

what we always say is figure out what you
know what hooks you what's your interest.

You know do you really value your
management school professor or

your Chemical Engineering School Professor
do you feel like you were lucky to come to

Georgia Tech and you want to make that
possible for other students in scholarship

you want to help in debt building whether
it's in a small way or a large way but

all of you are beneficiaries of
this wonderful couple Ernie and

Robert Shiller and so now you get
in the shell or college business.

I mean this is a guy who started
giving back to Georgia Tech

as soon as he graduated building his
business having no idea that he would

ever be in the position to give fifty
million dollars back to Georgia Tech.

Now that could be any
of you just never know.

So I would just like to encourage
you to think about that

because it's important
to the institute and

I think it's something you're going to
want to concentrate on in your future.

Now we usually end up campaign
videos singing RAM and

Rick not going to do that today.

For one thing but
invalid had to leave to go.

Welcome the new athletic
director at Georgia Tech.

So we really have them up on the stage
with us that we're not going to do that

I would just like to say that I've
done a lot of things with and

for Georgia Tech and
this is been among the most

fun when Steve asked me last fall
I think if I would like to do it.

I thought wow what a great opportunity for
the Atlanta Dream and what a great

opportunity for me to get to stand up and
talk about our business and how

important it is to us and how important
I think it is to Atlanta Georgia.

Be happy to take any questions.

Thank you thank.

You question right here.

Hi Thank you for
coming out your speech was a great

actually quick question what did you
do between the first and second.

You're only in the in a dream to make
you so successful in such a short time.

OK Well the the first year was
five years ago as you heard.

I was involved in the dream at that
time but out the key was for sure.

Getting a number one draft pick.

And Joe McCutcheon.

But it was also putting together
a team that was made up of people

who could support her kind of play the
lead in dream is a really fast team for

those of you who are fans and that we
have a season ticket holder here and

then we have a couple back there.

I've already called them out.

So what mention their names again but

a lot of others of you have in
fact have even brought this out

that it landed dream Jersey I should've
worn this today practice jersey.

That I have to give back in a minute.

I know but if you see our team play
were a really really fast team and

it's always been said that it's
the chemistry that draws them together.

They weren't all first round draft picks.

They were knowledge of and
second round draft picks but

they all have something in common and
that's the speed of the game many times

in the fourth quarter our team is still
going strong and we just outlast them.

I mean we absolutely outlast them so

I would say what happened
from first to second year.

Sure the number one draft pick.

But also starting to build this team with
the right chemistry to be a winner and

I think it's the same thing in business
you know if you're going to succeed.

It's because you put a group of people
together who can you know work toward

a common goal work as a team.

I mean a superstar is great but

you're generally not going to win because
you have one superstar just like you.

Whatever your business next
is good as Camille is.

Thanks for telling that I thank you.

I'm curious about your economic model.

It sounds like salaries
are in the control.

It's now or capital of this curse but

a couple things first of all what
are the I guess what are your major.

Challenges economically in
terms of running the group.

What are your revenue sources.

It is a dream actually
a profitable operation.

OK.

One thing that I can say pretty clearly
is we can't cut cost to profitability.

We really can't.

I mean there are a lot of companies where
you can do that a lot of business were

business where you can do that.

That is clearly not something we can do
you know that the costs are really pretty

set I mean they vary parting with
sometimes spends more on marketing but

the costs are going to be fairly set
around five million dollars more or

less depending on the team
our business model

told you our income is three different
ways our gate sponsorships our league.

So I think the best way for us to reach
that profitability level and worse.

I would say we're moving toward
that if we are moving toward that

year after year after year.

If we weren't we wouldn't be doing this
if we didn't think we could do it.

None of us would be doing it but
it's bringing attendance and

bringing sponsor levels clearly getting
a jersey marquee sponsor would impact

our bottom line a lot of the of
the teams that and there are private.

So it's not public information we
you know no one knows for sure but

the ones that we think are profitable
generally are ones that share ownership

with the N.B.A. because obviously they
share back office expenses and so

in you know maybe they don't pay for their
arena we pay for our Rina and then one.

Tane this independently owned
is a team in Connecticut.

It's a casino and so they have a big gate.

You know he began a little and
you go to a dream game but

if we you know we're moving toward that
every year as I said our ticket sales

are up our group sales are up
you know our renewals are up.

Our merchandise is up.

Our sponsors we don't lose sponsors.

So that's what we've got to keep doing.

We've got to keep increasing the sponsor
levels not losing our sponsors and

getting new sponsors.

Sure.

They with the spirit of the hockey
it's really really more just

the hawks now since they are that
the inner ship Spirit but it's really.

They own the arena.

So one of our huge cost is paying for
that arena.

You know we pay for that whereas a said
if you're affiliated with an N.B.A. team.

You wouldn't have that cost or
certainly your costs would be reduced.

So do we have a relationship
we have a relationship.

Absolutely and I would say it's an
improving relationship it's a challenging

relationship because obviously
we would like to pay less.

You know they would like to get more but
we really are trying to look for

ways that we can partner with them.

We're trying to prove our value to them.

Seventeen nights a year in the summer.

The arena would be dark and
there certainly are conventions and

there certainly are concerts but
it would be very hard for

them to replace seventeen nights
a year and then we bring a community.

Visibility to their games.

So we constantly look for

more ways that we can work with
the hawks in a positive way.

That that is a very good question and
I'd like to tell you size wise like

Philips is about ten thousand a little
over ten thousand people Georgia Tech.

It's what eight thousand I
think it's more to our size.

Obviously we know it's a blow away design
everything from the theater lighting.

So we've clearly talked about that
there's a new athletic director in place.

Clearly we'll talk to him
about that is that out.

There's a possibility out
there is a possibility.

It would be be amazing and
I think we'd love to

have if we get to the playoffs this
year which we have four of our.

The last four years.

We're going to have some
challenges with Philips.

So clearly we might even
look this summer have

had a practice going
there to see how it goes.

I know there are a lot of Georgia Tech
fans in here who are attending all these

best about games.

So I think it would be exciting and
it's certainly logistically doable.

So there you go.

Mayor money former graduate and
want to play football here and

want to say thank you for you and
John for donating the lead gift for

the football arena so that was
very near and dear to my heart and

I where players are running
at six am right now.

Also the current students
want to give a quick plug.

Gary Jones teaches a class that John.

Speaks and that's how I first
got got to meet them and so

next to the family today but
we had a two part question.

First is you spoke on the community

service with the Atlanta Dream
in Atlanta give back.

We comment on that and
also comment on you and

John are both very very busy and
we comment on how you your family

interaction has how do you fit
that in that's a good question.

Well I don't know if you read last
week's article by Henry Unger

in the Atlanta Journal Constitution but
he has this questions for for the boss.

And the very last question had
to do with having three list.

I guess person John Rock list.

John and Mary list and business list.

And if you're on the in the bottom
twenty percent of that list.

If you're one of the items and
I'm sure it never gets done so.

I would say you know Georgia Tech's not
the bottom twenty percent of that list and

there's the only injury that think
life is full of setting priorities and

figuring out how you're going to spend
your time we actually spend a lot of time

with our family you know
we have four grandchildren.

I don't even mention that
certainly should have but.

We love our three children.

We have four grandchildren with our
first two kids actually our youngest

son's girlfriend is here.

They have no children in

any way I think I think in life it's all
about saying what's important to you and

you know clearly you know
John runs a company and

his his ultimate responsibility
is to shareholders.

You know I'm part owner of the dream.

Keli and I have a responsibility to our
team but then we have a lot of things that

we're interested in and
you know John I feel really really lucky.

I mean some people look at
where they are in life and

say I got here because I'm so smart.

I'm so
good you know are naturally I made it and

I guess John and I feel that
yeah we've both worked hard and

I guess we're smart enough but
we feel like a lot of life is fate and

you know I don't know being in
the right place right time.

So if you are fortunate enough to
be able to do things either for

your university for the community.

You know it's what you should
do we just really believe that.

And so it's not.

Wow that's such a good thing
to do regarding the foot

practice facility I never thought that we
would do something like that because we're

really interesting cancer research and
you know Downing scholarships and

all that kind of thing but
when they talked

to us from the athletic department about
the practice facility the hope point and

I think we all know this if you
have a better football team.

It's just statistically proven that
you're going to probably increase

the quality students in
the interest of the Ylem's And

so it made sense to us to do that that for
me.

That was originally
a stretch not a stretch.

So much for money but a stretch of like
are we really going to do this and

then I guess we also believe in Barrett
who's here heading up development for

Georgia Tech that if you
believe in something you might

as well tell other people that you
believe in it like you know I'm going.

To a Spelman College of into night and
wellness.

I mean they Spelman we've
actually decided to give up.

Competitive sports and develop the premier
wellness and fitness and nutrition

program among historically black college
but colleges and universities because we

think that's important to do you know I'm
going to be there assures new looks same

thing you just got to say what's important
to you and you can make the time to do it.

Christie is here.

Christie works in the way and
she's amazing.

But you know she does.

It's all about prioritizing
how you spend your time.

Brooke thank you for

coming to this afternoon I was curious
as to what your relationship is and

what that looks like between
your coaches and players.

OK Fred Williams is our our head coach.

In our assistants you see
their pictures up here.

Julie plank and Joe champion and
I would say between Kelly and

Ashley and me we talk to Fred or

communicate with Fred honest every
day that he's he's the coach he makes

the decisions if he said you know
I want to trade our minty and

told us why you know I'd be really
unhappy because I like our mentee.

But that's his job.

It's his job to put together a team but
we have we have a very open and

a very good relationship when we
were looking to hire Julie plank.

We all talked to her you
know we met with her.

You know we communicated with her.

We tried this once we wanted her for
the job we really were selling her for

the job selling her on the job and
the same with you know we're in a lot of

communication but they really
are the boss as far as the team.

You know I'm just like any of you
are what you know we're in the armchair

quarterback in basketball.

It's you know wringing your hands and
it will think why are they.

Subbing you know our minty right now.

You know she's got the most in.

On the tamer you know why aren't they.

Starting whoever you know I'm sitting
there saying the same things and

you know he doesn't really have to
have that or we might tell him but

he doesn't have to give an answer so
that relationship wise we have

a good relationship as I said it's our
job to put the best people in place and

sometimes that you know that's
a tough thing to do but

that's that's what our job is but
once they're in place.

It's our job to support them and
communicate with them.

And Mrs Brock I had a quick question
on the N B W N B market as a whole.

So it's kind of been a bit in
recent years in the N.B.A.

for superstar athletes to
go to larger market cities.

Do you see that trend kind of
occurring in the W N B A as well.

Well we have a host spectrum of cities and
sizes and everything from L.A. and.

New York and Chicago to Tulsa.

Here's a plan in the south we
I don't think we do see that

trend I mean we just lost a free agent.

We had a player who is
an unrestricted free agent and

I still am so interested in her career and
I hope she does well.

Lindsey.

Harding was a runner research and
free agent she decided to go to L.A.

You know it's a decision she had to
make we would have left have kept her.

We have Jasmine Thomas coming in
who coincidentally like Lindsey is

also a Duke graduate.

This is her third year in the N.B.A..

So she's a young player.

She was an academic All-American Duke for
two years she's the only do best

about player to ever be an academic all
American So you know that's change going.

So here we have an example leaving
Atlanta going going to L.A.

Lizzie had a lot of reasons for
doing that.

You know I don't want to speculate on that
but we haven't seen that mess in the mint

and I think some of that is not only going
to big markets but some of the bigger.

Markets in the N.B.A. or N.F.L. or others

also have the bigger salaries and you know
we definitely don't compete on salaries.

I mean once you've played four
years of your rookie contract

then you have a little bit more leeway.

But we have a salary cap.

I mean our salary cap is less than what.

Most of the lowest level in be
a players make that's a good question.

So I'm going to keep my eye
on this as we lost Lindsey.

Because your players are playing
you're around internationally.

How does that affect the way that
you set up player contracts.

Well our contracts are for the season.

So when they play internationally.

You know we I mean we have no control
over that we can't say don't do it.

I mean are we interested in them and
do we keep up with them and

in fact do our coaches and
in fact this year our

newest assistant coach Julie plank and
Ashley pricing our C.E.O.

are going to Turkey because we have four
players playing in the Istanbul area.

It's kind of amazing.

I mean you just you might not immediately
think Istanbul would have for

women's basketball things.

I mean they're not really known for
you know being that pro women frankly but

they love basketball and
they all play in soccer clubs.

So there are some major soccer clubs
across the international group and

that's that's where they play.

Now you know since we have so
many in that community we really want to

try to make inroads and maybe get to
know those clubs a little bit better and

we think that's important but
our contracts are for our season.

If that helps.

Now as I said we worry about injury and
if we had our choice.

I guess if we had our choice they wouldn't
do it although we one hundred percent

understand why they do from a financial
perspective because they can make a lot

more money will make us.

OK.

No question to people.

That's OK this is been wonderful.

Thank you so much for all you do and
for being here today.

Interested in this multimode
system I mean there's so

many teams as an owner
when you when you and

competing with the other owners teams and
what are you all working together

in a collaborative fashion to
move the W N.B.A. forward.

Well on the court we're
competing Absolutely.

All the way but
we always look to each other for

best practices because what do all of
us want we want the Atlanta Atlanta

to Atlanta Dream team
to succeed financially.

Why do we.

Because it's it's got to be sustainable.

You're not going to find someone who just
illicitly you know pours their money

into something that's losing money and
if we didn't think it would succeed.

I wouldn't be doing it so

we want this team to succeed
we want the league to succeed.

It has succeeded for sixteen years
are moving into seventeenth year and

as I said It's not
subsidized by the N.B.A.

league sponsorships come down to us but
certainly that's it.

You know we're we're not in so
some teams do better than others.

So it really is advantage
to us to share all the best

practices for someone gets a marquee
sponsorship they share with everyone

who that sponsor is how they got
them the steps that were taken.

You know what they used to
win them over everything.

I mean they're very open about
the money that it that it

is you know how much money
do they get how many years.

There is no reason not to share that
kind of information because if we come

across someone and we actually
did here in Atlanta international

international Continental Hotels it.

And they were interested in the.

As soon as the sponsor for us.

It ended up they were a league sponsor.

So if we come across a company that we
think would be good as a league sponsor

and we have and we have some and I now.

We would talk to the league about that
that would be very important for us.

So it's important to all of us
we don't want any team to fail

sometimes people said
this is the Debbie N.B.A.

thinking about adding another team
like going from twelve to thirteen or

fourteen and I would say that's not on
their radar screen because the most

important thing is to make sure
the current teams are sustainable.

That's the best thing for
the league so good question but

we absolutely share everything.

Thanks.
That's a good question.

I just want to thank you so much for

speaking today if I could just get
around applause from everyone here.

Thank you.