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Friday, May 23, 2008
Dream’s ultimate goal: Survival
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The graveyard that is this city’s minor-league — or lesser league — sports franchise history does little to instill confidence in the long-term health of the Atlanta Dream.
But there is this for the new WNBA team to fall back on: While the Braves own Atlanta’s only major pro championship, past obscurities have won at least four — in soccer, minor-league hockey and team tennis (twice). Chiefs, Knights and Thunder: Rest in peace.
It follows that the Dream’s ultimate goal is survival, and why, when owner Ron Terwilliger was asked why he was confident the team will survive, he said: “I wouldn’t use the word confident. I would say hopeful.”
Women’s basketball and soccer has failed here before. They had the Olympics as a launching pad. Terwilliger is counting on the growth of the sport, the city’s diversity and low ticket prices.
His past venture into sports, an indoor soccer team (Attack), lasted only two seasons. That team also was started in a recession. “I didn’t pick a great time to start this,” he said. “As soon as you see me investing in a sports team, you can be sure a recession is coming.”
He looks ahead with hope. We look back on the souls of the departed.
In memory of: Atlanta Beat Lifeline: Three seasons (2001-03) in the Women’s United Soccer Organization (WUSA), which also lasted three, give or take a bounced check.
Vitals: The league’s $40 million in seed money was gone in the first year. There were $100 million in losses in three years, this despite players agreeing to a 25 percent salary cut and voiding the last two years on guaranteed five-year contracts (blow that out your Marvin Miller). Most important, the league was underwritten partly by Cox Communications, which pretty much killed any chance I had of getting a significant raise. League officials labored to try to build excitement for the “Founders Cup” championship game in Atlanta in 2002. They failed. The good news: The league gave me a “Freedom vs. Courage!” decorated cookie cake after I risked employment by writing it would take Kroger making “Founders Cup” decorated desserts, a la the Super Bowl, to make me believe enough people cared. That $10 cookie figures somewhere in the $100 million.
In memory of: Men’s soccer Lifeline: Multiple. Mostly short. Indoor, outdoor — either way, few walking through the door. Names include: Express, Steamers, Lightning, Apollos and Attack. Most successful: Chiefs (outdoor, first edition).
Vitals: The NASL was born in 1968, in the heyday of “all these kids in AYSO will grow up to become soccer fans.” (Right.) The Chiefs played one year in the NPSL, then changed alphabets. They won the title in ‘68. The league celebrated after the season by folded 12 of 17 teams franchises. The Chiefs changed owners in 1973. They were renamed the Apollos, moved to Bobby Dodd Stadium, lasted one season, folded, were reborn in ‘79, played three years outdoor, folded, two years indoor, folded. So that’s three folds for one franchise, an Atlanta record.
In memory of: Atlanta Knights
Lifeline: Four seasons (1992-96) before moving to Quebec in the International Hockey League (IHL), which had several mutations before eventually folding.
Vitals: The sad truth is that the minor-league Knights did more to grab attention in Atlanta than the Thrashers have. Fans still yell “Knights!” during the National Anthem at Thrashers home games. That’s when they’re not yelling, “Hit somebody!” John Paris was the sport’s first African American pro head coach. Goalie Manon Rheaume, her sideshow status notwithstanding, was the first woman to play NHL games (albeit exhibitions). Co-owner Richard Adler was a marketing whiz. And there’s this: They won a championship! But the Omni was set to be imploded, the city’s depth chart didn’t go two-deep on hockey arenas, and Ted Turner kind of had the inside track on an NHL franchise. (Side note: Adler also owned a roller-hockey team, the Atlanta Fireants, which lasted one year before moving to roller-hockey heaven, Oklahoma City).
In memory of: Atlanta Glory
Lifeline: Two seasons (1996-97). The women’s American Basketball League filed for Chapter 11 midway through its chapter three (but you knew how the book would turn out).
Vitals: Twelve years ago this month, 600 players tried out in Atlanta for the new ABL. The Glory rode that high for one year and 10 months. First problem: The team played in Forbes Arena. I had to look it up to know that was the Morehouse gym. The league had better players than the WNBA, which started a year later (Teresa Edwards and Saudia Roundtree were on the Atlanta roster; 10 league players were in the Olympics). But the ABL didn’t have the NBA’s backing, or corporate tie-ins, or TV revenue, or marketing arm. The ABL folded with $25 million in debts. The WNBA still survives, at least for as long as the NBA wants it to.
In memory of: Atlanta Thunder Lifeline: six seasons (1991-96) in World Team Tennis.
Vitals: Two championships, but no love. The Thunder, led by Martina Navratilova, won titles in 1991 and ‘92, its first two seasons. Bjorn Borg also played for the team. So much for success and stars drawing. Attendance dropped to a cartoon-like 600 at the DeKalb Tennis Center, which would be considered really good for an ALTA match. Maybe if the players had brought snacks (home: sweet; visitors: salty). File this one under quotes to remember from WTT founder Billie Jean King: “We definitely plan on coming back to Atlanta, no question.”
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