Lisa Leslie joins LA Sparks Ownership Group

Lisa Leslie, the former Sparks legend has joined the team's partnership group, led by Paula Madison who assumed majority ownership of the team this year. Leslie is the first former WNBA player to become a part owner of a WNBA team.

Leslie was introduced at the Sparks' game last night during halftime against the Tulsa Shock. If the Shock didn't win, this would have been the headline of that game.

To add on to this since Paula Madison is the Sparks' majority owner and is African American, she is the first African American woman to be a majority owner of a WNBA team. (Someone feel free to correct me if that is incorrect.)

9 months ago thewiz06 3 comments 0 recs |

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How much of the Mystics

did/does Shiela Johnson own??

by ttdomi on Aug 27, 2011 9:19 PM EDT reply actions

According to one article around 2005, I forget where exactly

but it is believed that Sheila took an ownership stake of about 10% of Lincoln Holdings, LLC though it hasn’t been confirmed. Lincoln Holdings owned the Caps, the Mystics (after Johnson got her share) and 44% of Washington Sports and Entertainment (Wizards and Verizon Center)

She probably owns a little less than that proportion-wise of the current day Monumental Sports and Entertainment because there were a number of new partners in the last year when the remainder of the Wizards and Verizon Center shares were bought up.

So at the end of the day, Sheila invested serious bucks to get into Ted’s ownership group. She is one of the vice chaimen of the group as well, so it’s not like she only handles Mystics affairs.

by thewiz06 on Aug 27, 2011 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions

so the short answer is she owns 10% or so of the Mystics

but she invested more money than what the Mystics are worth in order to get into the group, so it’s not an easy answer. In addition, Abe Pollin did approach her about becoming a major player for the Mystics but Ted was basically the successor to all of Mr. Pollin’s sports empire as well and the transitions of all the teams have gone smoothly more or less, unlike that of the local football team.

by thewiz06 on Aug 27, 2011 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions