Ackerman stepping down?

Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
ESPN Radio just reported that Val Ackerman may be stepping down as President of the WNBA tomorrow? Has anyone else heard an inkling of this?
 
http://espn.go.com/wnba/news/2004/1020/1906268.html

Val Ackerman, the WNBA's president since its inception in 1996, will step down, the Sports Business Daily reported Wednesday. ESPN.com has confirmed the report.



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[font=verdana, arial, geneva]Ackerman[/font]

There was no official reason for Ackerman's resignation, but sources told the Sports Business Daily that it was voluntary and family considerations were a factor. An official announcement is expected Thursday. Ackerman reportedly is expected to remain at her post until February.

Anne Sarnoff, who was named the league's chief operating officer last February, is regarded as a possible replacement, according to the Daily.

"I can't imagine anyone replacing her," agent Bruce Levy, who represents a number of WNBA players, told the publication. "It's no secret that I've had my battles with her over the years, but I've come to see she is working not only for [NBA commissioner] David Stern and the NBA, but for women's basketball overall.

"And someday, I think people will see the WNBA as the only successful pro sports league launched relatively recently."

Ackerman was a four-year starter at the University of Virginia, graduating in 1981. She joined the NBA in 1988 as an attorney and became a special assistant to Stern. She left the NBA as vice president of business affairs to lead the WNBA in 1996. She has two daughters.

The WNBA began with eight teams and had as many as 16 in 2002 before three teams folded in the last two years. Ackerman recently said the league hoped to add another team in the next two years.

"In '06, we are optimistic that we are going to add the 14th team," Ackerman said earlier this month before the WNBA Finals.
 
Mr. S£im Citrus said:
ESPN Radio just reported that Val Ackerman may be stepping down as President of the WNBA tomorrow? Has anyone else heard an inkling of this?
:eek: No kidding? I haven't heard a word. Did they say (or guess) why?



Ooops! Sorry! I posted at the same time. Thanks for the info, Rock.
 
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First of all...ESPN radio had this?!?!?!?!??! Second of all, nope, I hadn't heard an inkling of this, I may wander around and see what's up with this.

Did the penultimate Spinmistress say something to the effect that "I've taken the league as far as I could take it, we had a remarkable season with new teams and new cities competing for the title and a fantastic showing of our internationalism with a gob of players playing for their country in the Olympics....now its time for the league to run on a higher level with new blood and energy...."

I'm intrigued re: why she's headed out now...don't know that I'm necessarily worried. I think the league needs someone else running it, and quite honestly from the way she looked in 1997 to now, she looks like she needs to take a break. She looks like she has never slept in those 8 years.
 
Monty'sBiggestFan said:
First of all...ESPN radio had this?!?!?!?!??!
Yup... Well, it was really more of a by-line than anything else, as in, "ESPN.com is reporting that WNBA President Val Ackerman could be resigning as early as Thursday... Now back to more post-game coverage..."
 
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