Kelly Loeffler and Mary Brock, the Dream's new co-owners, say they are mindful of the team's mission to empower girls to play sports and provide positive role models for them to emulate.
However, that's not their main selling point for the team.
“I think Kelly and I feel strongly about developing the brand, and the brand is good basketball," Brock said.
In that respect, the Dream have been a an unqualified success since they finished 4-34 as a WNBA expansion team in 2008.
Atlanta made the playoffs in 2009 and advanced to the WNBA finals last year and again this season. The Dream were eliminated by Minnesota on Friday at Philips Arena.
Angel McCoughtry quickly became the Dream's franchise player after she was selected No. 1 overall in the 2009 draft. Coach and general manager Marynell Meadors has assembled a roster of complementary talent and strong chemistry around McCoughtry.
“We love our mission and we are never going to forget that,” Loeffler said. “But the fact that this is such an excellent basketball experience to watch, we are really tuned in to that.”
So far, though, the Dream's attendance has not kept pace with their winning.
Reported attendance at Philips Arena decreased by more than 25 percent from Dream's inaugural season to last year. There was a slight increase in average attendance this season from 6,293 to 6,483, which ranked 10th in the 12-team league.
The Dream set a franchise record with an announced crowd of 11,534 fans for Game 3 of the finals on Friday. But that total included 1,500 tickets purchased by the Hawks, Falcons and Braves, and distributed by the Dream.
The Dream would need to average about 8,500 spectators per home game to turn a profit. The Dream lost $3 million in 2009 and presumably less with the deeper playoff runs last year and this year.
Brock and Loeffler joined Kathy Betty as investors in January and last month assumed ownership, pending league approval. Loeffler is a vice president at Atlanta-based IntercontinentalExchange; Brock is a philanthropist and the wife of Coca-Cola Enterprises CEO John Brock.
The Dream owners said they are committed to the team for the long haul and plan to provide Meadors with the resources she needs to attract more talent. The owners cite the team's diverse fan base, exciting style and a good environment for players as assets, and said they intend to improve the experience at Philips Arena for fans.
“This is only our fourth year,” Brock said. “We think in four more years we will be in an unbelievable position.”
The Dream appear set to continue their winning basketball ways. Four key players will return next season. Meadors said the Dream would exercise their contract option for McCoughtry, and forward Sancho Lyttle and guards Lindsey Harding and Shalee Lehning are all under contract for next season.
The Dream's key free agents include Erika de Souza, Iziane Castro Marques and Armintie Price. Meadors said some of the free agents already have said they plan to return to Atlanta.
The Dream traded next year's first-round draft pick in a deal to acquire Harding so immediate help will have to come through free agency. After Minnesota's bigger and stronger players wore down the Dream in the finals, Meadors said she would look to add a center from what she expects will be a deep free-agent pool.
As she builds the team, Meadors said she's cognizant of the Dream's need to attract fans.
“We will do whatever it takes to fill that arena every day,” Meadors said. “Our name is out there; our brand is out there. People know how we play and there is tremendous excitement about it.”
