NO WNBA MIRACLE. JUST A WHOLE LOT OF MAGIC!

It was all smiles today as WNBA president, Laurel Richie, announced that Magic Johnson and his business partner, Mark Walter had purchased the L.A. Sparks and were keeping the team in Los Angeles. Fittingly, the announcement was made in the shadow of Magic's statue at Staples Center. 

Instant credibility!

Instant media attention.

Instant smiles all around!

Best case scenario? You betcha! 

Lemonade from Lemons?  Keep pouring!

The Sparks had been abandoned, last December, by Paula Madison's ownership group. Employees were abruptly terminated via New Year's Eve emails and the franchise was in danger of being sold to the NBA's Golden State Warriors and shipped to the Bay Area. How close was L.A. to losing its WNBA team? Magic spoke about that after today's news conference.
--
Magic " It was very close. We came in at the 11^th hour. I think we were the last ones. If we hadn’t come in and made a deal, I think the Sparks would be gone!"
--

Can you say "chicken salad"?

Could this have turned out any better??

The deal took less than 30 days to complete. Magic and Walter bought the franchise from the previous owners and absorbed their debt. According to Johnson, the serious negotiations and bookkeeping began just two weeks ago. During the entire time, Sparks' players were being kept in the loop, a bit. They had contracts and knew they would be playing somewhere, for some owner. 

Not so easy for Sparks' fans who got very little information about the status of their favorite franchise. WNBA president, Laurel Richie, was noticeably silent through the process. She told me today that while the deal was recorded in record time, the prez knows it probably didn't seem that way to long-time Sparks fans.
--
Laurel Richie-"I know from a fan perspective that 30 days of not knowing the fate of a team that you love can seem like an eternity. I fully appreciate what they went through. I thank them for their patience, understanding and support and I hope, after today, they will realize just how hard we were really working to find a really terrific home for  their beloved Sparks."
--

Magic Johnson said the Sparks' will play at Staples Center this season and will retain general manager, Penny Toler, head coach Carol Ross and the team's executive staff. Lisa Leslie will be involved with the franchise in a yet unspecified role. 

The Sparks' brass will soon begin talking with former employees and putting the organization back together again, although there are indications that some jobs might be lost in an effort to shave costs. According to Paula Madison, the Sparks lost $12 million over the past seven years. So, why would Magic and Walter, plunge into troubled financial waters to resuscitate the franchise?
--
Magic- "We wanted to make sure that the Sparks stayed in Los Angeles where they belong. We bought the team because we feel like we can turn it around. We can increase the fan experience. We think we already have a great team. Candace Parker is the best player in the world, but we know what we we are up against.

We are aggressive businessmen- aggressive investors. We know we can make some things happen to improve the bottom line. It is going to take a little while, but we are happy where we are at and we know what we have to do. We have work to do with the Sparks, but we are excited. We are going to roll up our sleeves and go to work." 
 --

Don't forget. Magic & Walter are also co-owners of the L.A. Dodgers. They turned around that MLB franchise in a hurry, but where will they be on those summer nights when the Sparks' and Dodgers' schedules conflict and both teams play at home on the same night? 

--

Magic -"I might have to go half and half (laugh). We understand that is going to happen a few times. What we want is to make sure that both are winning franchises and we want the fans of the Sparks to enjoy their experience when they come to Staples Center and know that this is an exciting team, a championship caliber team and we want the same to happen at Dodger Stadium."

--

After most of the crowd and media was gone, this morning, Magic was still in front of Staples Center talking up the  L.A. Sparks on NBA-TV and recording promotional spots for the team. Later, walking through L.A.-Live, he stopped and took pictures with diners and workers.

*All that was missing from today's proceedings was a white horse for Magic to mount and ride off into the So.Cal sun, the way heroes do.

**Hard to believe, but Johnson & Walter, hit a game-winning homer and a buzzer-beater all at once. Give Magic & Co. an "assist" and a "save" and heartfelt thanks!

 ***Hard to believe that a man who received an HIV "death sentence" back in 1991 is still here and healthy and ready, willing and able to breathe life into a franchise that was  in danger of fading away! 

**

SMILE!