The WNBA org. announced Tuesday it’s hired Stacy Johns to lead the franchise into the future.
Johns left her role as Bay FC’s CEO — a National Women’s Soccer League position she landed just three months ago — to take the Sparks gig.
The LA Sparks announced on Tuesday they’ve hired Stacy Johns to lead the franchise into the future. Getty Images “This opportunity brings together two things that matter deeply to me — leading an iconic franchise at a pivotal moment for women’s basketball and being back in Los Angeles with my family full-time,” Johns said.
Johns previously held the chief business officer position for LAFC and BMO Stadium.
Prior to that, she worked for the Indianapolis Colts in various roles for nearly two decades.
The LA Sparks are owned by billionaire Mark Walter, who also owns the Dodgers and Lakers. NBAE via Getty Images “Having been part of building something special at LAFC,” Johns said, “I’ve seen what’s possible in this market, and I’m incredibly energized by the opportunity to help build something meaningful here — building on the Sparks’ legacy while shaping what comes next.”
The move, according to Sports Business Journal, was made with the goal of aligning the three Los Angeles teams that billionaire Mark Walter owns — the Dodgers, Lakers and Sparks.
“Stacy, she’s a visionary,” said Lon Rosen, the longtime Dodgers exec who took a role in the Lakers’ front office earlier this year, “and will be able to really help build the brand, the Sparks brand, which is a strong brand, but we want to keep increasing its position in the marketplace.
“It’s been Mark Walter’s vision to be able to do that, to align [the Sparks] with the Lakers and the Dodgers. He has three major teams in this market, and we’ll take advantage of all the core competencies we have among the three teams.”
