Igniting the Sparks: Stacy Johns, President of the LA Sparks

Artwork for podcast Sports Business Conversations

Episode 108 • 15th September 2026 • Sports Business Conversations • ADC Partners

00:00

Dave Almy

Stacey, you put that accounting degree that you got from Butler University to work right out of college, Right. You went to Erst and Young and you went in house at Eli Lilly. You were doing the really traditional businessy stuff, like right up until you took the controller's job at the Colts. Right? The NFL's Colts. So can you talk? How'd that happen? Right. Were you looking for a job in sports or did you just kind of like, well, this team over there kind of needs this person to do this thing. How did that all evolve for you?

00:31

Stacy Johns

Yeah, it's funny, like, I think my whole family also asked that question, like, what the hell? What the hell were you doing? Because I don't. Any listeners that you have that are from Indiana, like, working for Eli Lilly is like the job.

00:44

Dave Almy

It's a big deal.

00:45

Stacy Johns

It's the job you want as a little. You had it made growing up. I had the job. I was in the company. I worked for great people. It's a great place to work. So all that is true. What people don't realize is that right in my first internship with Ernst and Young, Cause I started as an intern. So I was there for a while after school, but I also did two years of internships in school. And one of my first jobs after Lilly was the Indianapolis Colts. So I was on the audit for the Colts. The very beginning. I was like 20, 19, 20 years old, getting this incredible opportunity to be an auditor for my professional sports team and my team sort of pull the.

01:21

Dave Almy

Curtain back a little bit on the football team. And would you. Did what you see make you think, oh, this is fascinating? Or if an opportunity presents itself, I'll.

01:32

Stacy Johns

No, it was fascinating. I grew up loving sports, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I could marry being an accountant with being in sports.

01:42

Dave Almy

I didn't realize it was a path.

01:43

Stacy Johns

No. And I think when you think back to when I was a kid, sports business wasn't a path. People didn't go get careers in sports business. The Colts had a very small front office just to be able to pump out tickets. And nobody was thinking about the kind of stuff we're thinking about today. So it really wasn't a path. And even when I was an auditor and I worked on that job for five years and I got to really know those people and I love them. And it was so cool. I was a season ticket member, so I was kind of like seeing you're right behind the curtain and being part of it as a fan and then, you know. But there's like, two jobs in the finance department. So it's like, how could I ever get one? Who would ever quit that job?

02:18

Stacy Johns

So what happened was somebody quit the job, and it was mine to have. And like I said, my family really did think I was crazy. It was my first, like, are you having a midlife crisis? When I was a very young moment.

02:28

Dave Almy

25.

02:29

Stacy Johns

Yeah. I was like, 27. Like, what's wrong with you? But it obviously turned out to be, like, the most incredible decision. And no one questions it anymore, David?

02:38

Dave Almy

No, strangely, that's. Well, I mean, I think it's the biggest misconception that people had about sports, particularly when you were younger. I mean, sports, they have such a high profile that people think, like, there's these massive front offices and, you know, more to the case now, but, like, back in the day, like, a big front office, 100, 125 people.

02:55

Stacy Johns

Yeah. I mean, we barely had that many people. When I started, I think, at the Colts, I mean, it was small and it was growing. I joined Reva's growing. They're building. Lucasfilm Stadium is a really cool time to grow.

03:05

Dave Almy

Yeah.

03:05

Stacy Johns

Ironically, when I started my family also, you know, the news media was all like, the Colts are moving to la. The Colts are moving to la. My parents were like, are you going to move to la? I was like, I would move to la. Like, why would I do that?

03:16

Dave Almy

Why? Who in their right mind would move to la? Well, and in this business, that's called a segue, because you were the colts for about 15 years.

03:25

Stacy Johns

I was.

03:26

Dave Almy

And then a different kind of football came calling to you, to the. You became the CFO for lafc. Why was that the right time to make such a significant change? You were like. You said you were working for the Colts. You had this great job. I mean, clearly there was an opportunity out in la. How did it come about?

03:47

Stacy Johns

Yeah, I think. I mean, it came about a recruiter. I had sort of taken on a bunch of stuff at the Colts. As I said, it was growing. I took on hr. I started this data strategy group, so did all these things. And as part of my HR role, I got to know recruiters. Like, some of them got to know me as well. And one of them called and said, you know, I think you're not the kind of person that's just gonna sit in one team for 35 years. Like, it just doesn't strike me that's what you want. That's who you are. I have this incredible opportunity out in Los Angeles, and I said, you do Realize I've never been to Los Angeles. And she's like, los Angeles, where is that? She's like, no, but we won't tell them that yet.

04:27

Stacy Johns

I'm like, yeah, that's probably a good idea.

04:28

Dave Almy

Yeah, you wanna keep that and suppress.

04:29

Stacy Johns

It a little, right? And so. But it was just one of those things where I'm like, all right, I'll take a conversation. I'm kind of keeping. Curious person, always take a conversation.

04:38

Dave Almy

And every phone, talk to anybody about anything.

04:40

Stacy Johns

Yeah, talk to anybody about anything. I. That's a big piece of advice for any young people listening. Like, there's just almost never a throwaway conversation. There's just always something in it. And when I took it, I was like, sort of blown away. And then I started doing research about, you know, what, how it might be interesting to stop working for a big league that, you know, was like a titanic ship that had a hard time moving to go work for a younger league. A very young team who had, you know, their story to me was we tried to do right that the older professional sports teams had done wrong. And I'm like, that's really interesting because I was sort of sitting in a family business style sports organization, which was classic.

05:17

Stacy Johns

And then this is, you know, this was completely different, run by, you know, guys that were PE backed, you know, some gaming guys. Just a very interesting ownership group that was thinking about everything very differently and also wanted a female perspective. And so that was something that was really important to me. I had never, I had pushed my way in where I was. I had never really been welcomed. And so it was really nice to be welcomed in that way.

05:40

Dave Almy

I would say, particularly NFL. I mean, it's sort of legendarily, it's like a boys club. It was a boys club, small and like you talk about the Colts, family run business, they kind of know everything. And you're not going to tell us anything that we don't already know kind of operation.

05:53

Stacy Johns

Yeah, no. And they were like, you know, they would, they would come along, but like I said, it would take a long time. I mean, I would say over 15 years I got a lot done, but it was 15 years. I mean, it took a long time. And then when I got here, I would say what I got done and five months, like, which is way more. Because I had way more flexibility and more openness to risk and just, you know, taking the leap and seeing what happens versus just.

06:18

Dave Almy

And did you pick up on that on like the first conference, like you said, like, you. You had the introduction from the recruiter, and you had the first interaction with the team, and you were kind of. Your hair was blown back a little bit. Was that apparent with those things? What was apparent in that first phone call? What was it that really made you go, whoa, this is not what I was thinking?

06:35

Stacy Johns

It was the first couple phone calls. And yeah, it was little things like, you know, female fans are half of our organization, mothers are at our game, kids. It is a different. I mean, different vibe. We talked about this. Yeah, it's a different sport. It's totally different sales proposition, how you market it, how you sell it, how people intake it. So that, like, welcoming familial football culture, not the other football, really sort of drew me in right away. And it's like nothing indiana. You're not. You don't have that in your life, really. I mean, it's a basketball state. When I was a kid, Colts kind of tried to make it a football state. I'd argue, like, it. It's a. It's a push pull there. But, like, that's all, you know, indiana, you don't know global football unless you're intentionally trying to find it.

07:19

Stacy Johns

And so I think it was my first, like, wow, this could be really different and feel really different. And it did.

07:25

Dave Almy

This is a big change, though. I mean, you. You picked up and moved to the. So this is la kind of thing. Yeah.

07:32

Stacy Johns

Really? During COVID I mean, came right in the middle of.

07:37

Dave Almy

In California with its famously lenient COVID policies, too, for sure. Absolutely. So drop.

07:41

Stacy Johns

Right. My kids got, like, whiplash. Like, we had Covid in DNF for, like, two months, and then no more Covid. And then I moved them to Los Angeles and then they went back to Covid. So went from, like, online school. Wait, didn't we have this solved online school? I know. They were like, wait a second. So it was. It really was a big change. But I have three kids. All of my kids end up loving la and being so grateful that I gave them the opportunity for something new in life. And I think what we all learned is that big change and scary change and taking a leap of faith is actually thrilling in its own way. And it's something you should do more in life.

08:19

Dave Almy

Transformative.

08:20

Stacy Johns

It is. And my oldest daughter now is in Washington at uw, and she did that because she's like. I just was like, this was so cool to learn a new culture. I want to go learn a different one. My other daughter is moving to France Post Graduation. So my kids have like opened their eyes to like life experience and change. So again, it had some challenges at the beginning, but yeah, scary at the.

08:42

Dave Almy

Start, but completely can transform and mind opening.

08:47

Stacy Johns

Like open my kids minds.

08:48

Dave Almy

Exactly. But also, you know, from the professional standpoint, I mean, you go from the NFL, which I think a lot of people look at as being like, that. Oh, the prem. That's the gold standard of where I want to work.

09:02

Stacy Johns

Yeah. I mean, well, 20 games a year, like, let's talk about them.

09:06

Dave Almy

Yeah, right. Kind of not that big a deal.

09:08

Stacy Johns

Right.

09:08

Dave Almy

I mean, before we go recording, it was baseball and it's like, I don't want anything to do with that.

09:13

Stacy Johns

Yeah.

09:13

Dave Almy

But you know, resourced and the whole thing.

09:16

Stacy Johns

Totally.

09:17

Dave Almy

And you go to mls, you know, slightly less big, you know. You know what, how about from the adjustments that you felt like you had to make at a leadership role there and assumptions you had to challenge about yourself and the work that you were doing.

09:32

Stacy Johns

Yeah. I think to the good. I realized that sports is sports in business and there's a lot of it that's foundationally the same. So I think in my mind I wasn't sure if I could transition. I mean, I've been in the same place for 15 years, which is a long time. And I'm like, all right, I became pretty good at this. But like, how much of this translates, how much doesn't? The good news was a lot of it translated as far as, like, how, you know, strategy. I didn't have to relearn. But what did change was, you know, I went from cheerleaders and mascots and like big production to like football, the game, like it's so much about the game.

10:06

Stacy Johns

And I think that was a big shift for me is like, how do I think about, you know, the different ways of engaging fans and interacting with fans when you don't have things, I mean, you really only have players, but then you have rituals, like you have all these. So I did have to learn sort.

10:21

Dave Almy

Of the culture of football.

10:22

Stacy Johns

Yeah. The cultural shift of football to football, you know, and that was harder, I think, than anything else. And then the league, I kind of had to adjust to the fact that, wow, if I call the league office and I have an idea, they might actually listen to me.

10:36

Dave Almy

They might actually do this thing.

10:38

Stacy Johns

This is like awesome, but also overwhelming, intimidating, you know. Right. Like, how do I be strategic about what I want from them and, you know, use this to my advantage. And you know, the other thing that was really interesting that People sometimes don't ask about or forget about is I went from small mid market to like giant market, the market. So that was also a big adjustment. And I had learned what it was like, important as a small market, mid market team. And I had, you know, been oftentimes pissed at the la market or the New York market for the kind of things they wanted the lead to do and the kind of agendas they had. And then all of a sudden I turned into that person.

11:11

Dave Almy

You became the monster.

11:14

Stacy Johns

Like, I didn't know what it was like to sit in the seat. And now I understand what they wanted and why they wanted it. But I, I will say I've always had been able to keep that unique perspective of I also lived in a small market. So, like, I know when I'm asking for something what those people are going to push back on and why, because I lived that life for so long. I think the other thing that was an interesting switch is I went from being a tenant in a building to being like a landlord, which is way better. I mean, it has its challenges, but generally speaking, you control your own destiny in a much bigger way.

11:46

Dave Almy

And you can snap your fingers and say, I think we're going to do this. That's a whole different animal. Well, let me have 16 meetings to determine what we're going to be able to do about this.

11:54

Stacy Johns

Right? And like, what now? I will say, now that I've been the landlord, I'm back to being a tenant again. I do think I have a better understanding of what their mindset is. Kind of like with the big league, small league. It's like in big market, small market, like, I just. You learn, when you learn all the sides of it when you're negotiating or when you're trying to get what you need, I at least can think like they're thinking. It's like, okay, why, when I'm calling Katie Padolfo at, you know, crypto now, it's like I kind of know what her job is and what her priorities are and what her responsibilities to her boss are. And I try at least to find solutions that might be good for both of us or better for both of us.

12:29

Dave Almy

So, you know, the number of times we didn't hit right at it. But it's like, you know, in these kinds of dealings, when you can have a little bit of an empathetic response to the people on the other side of the phone, it's the biggest. I mean, it's, it's not a sales tool, but it's the biggest sales tool you had. It is just being able to understand what her. You're going to get things accomplished so much better if you can just approach it with a little bit of empathy towards what the other person is for sure.

12:50

Stacy Johns

People just, I mean one. Just like you give a shit, you care. People know that versus trying to bulldoze your own agenda. It just works a lot better that way.

12:58

Dave Almy

Understand? So you're at lafc for about five years. You were hired by Bay fc, which is the San Francisco startup for nwsl, which lasted a few months before you returned to la to lead the WNBA Sparks. Which is why where you find yourself now. Can you talk about that transition back and forth? I'm assuming it wasn't a decision made lightly. The opportunity clearly to run the Sparks was about as compelling as it gets. So can you. What was that period of time like to. To make a couple of transitions so quickly?

13:27

Stacy Johns

Yeah, I mean, that was one of those times in life where, you know, you wish you knew about one before the other, but life, it just isn't always so kind of lines up. It is not. And I think, you know, people have to know. I. I did fall in love with global football. I mean, like these last couple of weeks have been like. I mean, I've been working between every minute of trying to watch as much football as I possibly can after, you know, living in global football for the last, you know, especially men's global football for the last, you know, five or six years. This is like the pinnacle of that here on our home soil. And so I do love the game. So I would say, like, stealing me out of that game was probably like the bigger thing almost than that.

14:11

Stacy Johns

People may not realize. People who know me well probably realize that.

14:13

Dave Almy

Yeah.

14:14

Stacy Johns

But also what I realized, I think after leaving Los Angeles for a couple months is how much I loved Los Angeles.

14:23

Dave Almy

And you were commuting back and forth.

14:25

Stacy Johns

I was. That's the other part. Yeah, yeah. Cause my family, I mean, that's the part that other people, you know, we didn't talk about that. I'm. That's not for people to talk about all the time. But yeah, my. I have a son, I have daughters who are like leaving left or leaving the nest, like, so most often. But I have a son here with me and, you know, I split custody with him, so he's with me half the time. So when he was with me, I was home. And. And so I was flying back and forth, which was a lot. Yeah, it was ton and so when this came up, to go back to marketing in a market that I know and love and understand, like, the Bay Market is.

14:58

Stacy Johns

Is awesome and interesting, but, like, it was new to me and it was foreign and I was learning it, and it was a. It was a pretty big learning curve. I will be. I'll be honest about that. And I think, you know, BFC has things, you know, where they're making decisions between San Francisco and San Jose and big decisions that, like, someone who I think has, like, really ingrained knowledge on that market needs to be, which I was, like, utilizing when I was there. But, like, I'm like. I looked at those owners, I'm like, look, I can do this job, like, but I think you actually are better off having somebody who. Who has lived here for a long time.

15:32

Dave Almy

Yeah. As somebody who's lived in the bay area for 30 years. Yeah, it's. It's such a fascinating market from the standpoint of you have the. The attraction to it is you got. My God, you get these three major. Four if you count Sacramento, major metropolitan areas. And all of them are different and, like, very different, distinctly different. So if you try to have one message to one. If you have one message, try to use it in all four. That's not going to work. So it's competitive. It's huge. But distinct. I don't want to say fractured, because that makes it sound like it's all piecemeal and everything like that.

16:05

Stacy Johns

No, but it's not a real challenge, actually. It's like a beautiful thing. And the wind. It is. And when the teams that get it right, like with the Valkyries, what Jess has done over there with the Valkyries, like, really embraced all of it and all of its culture and all the quirkiness of it that people love so much into your. Because you have to kind of live there to understand it, I think, and I do think I understood it, like, enough, you know, after living there for a couple months. But at the end of the day, like, the opportunity to go into the wild, like, right after this new CBA came along in a market that I know and love with a legacy team that really needs, like, a culture infusion, which is what I sort of just did and I really loved.

16:47

Stacy Johns

It was just. It was too many things. And then when you coupled it with coming back and working, you know, for Lon Rosen, who I knew, who was an owner at lac, who. We become close for the Walter Group, you know, seeing what they've been able to do with sports teams, the PWL Just learning from those people like Stan and Lon and, you know, too big an opportunity, it was hard not to pass up. So it really wasn't about what I was leaving at all. It wasn't like it was running hard towards, like, the sparse opportunity and wishing for everybody. I would have known it was going to be available.

17:21

Dave Almy

Right. Move at the. At the. At a challenging time, but the right time for you, like these jobs don't open up and you have to go to them. I mean, sports, particularly at the top level of organizational sports, you have to travel to where those opportunities present themselves. You just had the circumstance where it just happened to be back in the market. That was going to tick a lot of boxes.

17:43

Stacy Johns

It was. I mean, it's taking all the boxes pretty much. That's the thing.

17:46

Dave Almy

So you've been president of the Sparks for what, about three, little over three months now?

17:50

Stacy Johns

Not quite three months.

17:51

Dave Almy

Not quite three months. Okay.

17:52

Stacy Johns

Yeah.

17:52

Dave Almy

You know, so you're, you know, where everything is now.

17:55

Stacy Johns

Yes, I've got it totally covered.

17:57

Dave Almy

So how do you get started in that regard? Is it all listening early on or are things just happening too quickly for you to sit back and go, okay, well, I'm going to take six months just to absorb. Like, how do you strike that balance?

18:12

Stacy Johns

So I think initially when I was like, wow, starting, right. I basically started. The weekend the season started is like a terrible thing. Like, what am I doing?

18:24

Dave Almy

So this is basketball. Right.

18:26

Stacy Johns

But honestly, the interesting part of that is I sort, like, you sort of just get thrown in it and people are executing. So it's actually a really good time to listen and watch. I can't impact many decisions anymore. Once you start the season, like, theme nights have been, I mean, everything that I have control over, like, what. What is theme for the year? What is the marketing plan? Like, it's. You can't pivot those things once the season started.

18:47

Dave Almy

Baked in.

18:48

Stacy Johns

You can, like, enhance them. You can try to, you know, you can try to give it a little bit more. Talking incremental change versus it's just very small. And so it really has been a lot of watching, execution and seeing, like, how can we make these things different, better change or keep or build on, like, what. What are we doing really well? What do we. What do we seem to be, like, struggling with? And, like, how do I think about, you know, making small changes right now and seeing how they work, which is what we've been doing some of that where it's like, let's look at performance Marketing, like what we tried. We. We, you know, try little things, like try little tests, little pilots. So, yeah, so, like, that's what I've been trying to do.

19:25

Stacy Johns

Trying not to make large decisions right now and just see what the people that work for me have done in the off season to get ready for now. And I think I'm getting closer to. And there were people we had to hire. There were some people that have been. Wait. They've been waiting to hire. So just hire an, Like, a head of hr. Didn't have an executive assistant.

19:44

Dave Almy

How long had the president's chair been unoccupied before you?

19:46

Stacy Johns

Like, seven or eight months. Like a long time. Oof. Oh, you think about what that looks like. These people, like, have brought this whole season up during a very, like a big change with, you know, new cba,.

19:58

Dave Almy

You know, and unraveling all that.

20:00

Stacy Johns

Yeah, so. So, yes. So it's. It was crazy time to. I think. But when I walked into it, the great part was, you know, the people I work for were like, this is not about 20, 26. I mean, they're all smart people. They get it. You can't hire a new president the day the season starts and expect some radical change for the season. This has always been about 27 and beyond. And really, it's even more than that. But I mean, 27, you know, we should look and feel somewhat different. But, like, still, again, these are educated, smart professional sports people I work for. They know that you can't just, like, snap your finger and, like, turn a franchise around.

20:35

Dave Almy

Like, yeah, sure, it's not the NFL, it's not the Titanic, but, you know, there is still a rhythm to things and the timeliness with which they. They have to take place. So as you look towards. That's fascinating. Right. So we're going to be, you know, we can make small pivots, small, incremental pivots in the current season, but we're really looking towards 27. So. But I guess it's a bit of an understatement to say that la is kind of a competitive sports market. Something like, I don't know, 150 different professional sports teams in the town or something.

21:06

Stacy Johns

Yeah.

21:07

Dave Almy

And, you know, you've also got, you know, UCLA and USC and other and uncountable number of entertainment venues. Right. So a lot of competition.

21:15

Stacy Johns

Disneyland and Universal and the beaches. And it's nice outside and traffic's bad and I don't want to drive.

21:22

Dave Almy

Right.

21:23

Stacy Johns

I mean, you're up against it here, for sure.

21:25

Dave Almy

You are up against it. So, you know, you have the benefit of having worked in the market for a franchise that probably had to deal with very similar issues to this. So how do you break through that clutter in your experience and what you've seen in the past? What are the keys for doing so? How do you get people to get on the 5 to come down or the 405 or the 10 or the whatever to do that?

21:50

Stacy Johns

I think you have to think at some level, you have to stop thinking about. I mean, there's no real competing with the Dodgers or the Lakers or some of these brands that we have here, or even Disneyland. I can't compete with that all the time. What I needed, what I need to create is an experience, slash, a room, whatever you want to call it. Like a culture where we can command our portion of the population. Like, we don't. When you live in this big of a dma, we don't need everybody. I mean, that's the reality. Like, I don't need everyone to be a Sparks fan. I would love that. And maybe one day you build something that over time again in la, I think you have to win a lot to also build that. Like, you look what the Dodgers have done later.

22:26

Stacy Johns

So that's like. Comes with, like, a great brand, but it also comes with winning a winning culture.

22:30

Dave Almy

Nothing helps marketing like winning.

22:32

Stacy Johns

Yeah, for me, it's, you know, it's about who do we want our fans to be? Where are those fans and, like, looking now? I think if you look at the fans we have today, it is a more traditional, like, basketball, women's basketball fan who's been there since the beginning. So we have, so this incredible, like, fan base that exists that's been there really for the last 30 years. And they've been strong since the beginning. Yeah. And then what you also have coming in now is the fans of the W. Like, so you have the W. And, you know, a lot of those fans are fans of players. So, you know, Paige comes town, Kaylin comes town. Like, you know, but, like, we need to figure out how we can convert more people locally, be culturally relevant. Like, how do we.

23:14

Stacy Johns

How do we connect with brands and how do we work within the culture, like fashion, music, you know, entertainment culture that is la. How do we bring more. Be more relevant in those conversations Right now we haven't done the Sparks, haven't done, like, collaborations with big young fashion brands. Like, they need to. They haven't done things with, you know, young music artists that they should or film producers. Like, how do we bring this, like, awesomeness of la into the Sparks culture and where you show up to a Sparks game and you're like, oh, I know I'm in Los Angeles. Not like, I'm at a women's basketball game. Like, I'm in Los Angeles. And it's so, you know, you can.

23:54

Dave Almy

Feel it dynamic in la.

23:56

Stacy Johns

Yeah. So that's what I think. My. You know, what my. I tell my team. Everyone has, like, fully bought into that. I think the players want that. The players want a confidence team. Yeah. And so I want to create something where players want to be part of it so that they can recruit the best players again. Because winning is so important, because so for me, it's like, all interrelated. That's how. I mean, soccer was similar like that in young. Like, if we could get the best, most talented soccer players here, you could get a better team and you could win. And we won a lot in la at lafc. And that, you know, obviously was a big part of how successful were.

24:30

Dave Almy

I'm also struck, going back to the first part of this conversation, we're talking about the Cults and the Colts and working with the Colts, and this is the kind of way to do things versus what you were just talking about. I was like, how do I go out and get fashion brands to be integrated into this? And it strikes me that is an encapsulation of what sports. It is this hub of entertainment and competition and attention and influence and all the parts that go into manufacturing. This is not just simply about the game on the floor. That's a big part of it. But there are a lot of influence, and particularly in a market in Los Angeles where all those things exist, and.

25:10

Stacy Johns

Particularly in women's sports, because I think so many people are drawn to the athletes, these female athletes. I mean, they haven't had a prominent stage ever, and now they. They're starting to get that. So people want to hear these women's stories. They want to know what they're wearing, they want to know what makeup this is where it's different than men's sports in a. In a big way.

25:29

Dave Almy

You know, as podcast host, I get a lot of people fascinated about the T shirts I wear. So I get a lot of. No, I don't.

25:36

Stacy Johns

I'm sure you do.

25:39

Dave Almy

It's funny, actually. Not even that funny at all. Now, I saw you talking on stage at the Sportico event up in. Up in the San. Up in San Francisco, and you're on stage with Val, with Jeff Smith of the Valkyries Val Smith of the Jesseries and to send that one to her. And you said one of your priorities is to make sure you create a rivalry between the Valkyries to the team to the North. So do you feel like that's something that can be created or is it something that has to happen more organically?

26:09

Stacy Johns

I mean, I think it has to be organic at some level. I mean, we. We can do things to. You can do things and nurture it, but it's got to come from people, you know, wanting a rivalry. They want to create that. And that comes with, you know, whether you end up with players that have a rivalry or you end up just with the quality of play and the style play in a way that, you know, it's a game that, you know, people get excited about because you don't know what's going to happen. Right, right. And you don't. Right. And, you know, I think so you can't create it. And we have. We have some work to do. But I did. I mean, I went to a Valkyries game a couple weeks ago and was blown away at the entertainment value that they.

26:50

Stacy Johns

The production that they put on there. And that was one. It's a show. And I walked away thinking of all the people that have. Should have a greatest show. I mean, it should be Los Angeles. Like, so I walked away feeling pretty inspired of, like, what we should be capable of doing and what we might be able to do that, you know, can rival what they're doing off the court. Because I do think that's. That's going to help is like, that helps create a rivalry is like, I have an experience that people also talk about. And it's like, if I was going to go to San Francisco or Los Angeles and travel and watch a game, which one would I go to? And how do I make sure that mine is on that list more off the court than on the court.

27:26

Stacy Johns

And so I think that's my focus for now is like, how do we create this, like, you know, incredibly produced experience that the fans love. That theirs was very authentic, as, you know, you've been, I'm sure, to the Bay Area. That's what she did so well, is really nailed it on the culture there. So I think our production should be very different, but I still think it should be very produced between, like, what they have with lights and music and just high production quality on the screens and not just basketball. Like, they're just thinking about basketball.

27:58

Dave Almy

Yeah. I tell the crane, the neck moments where people are looking all the way around the arena to take in, like, did you see that over there? Type of thing. The Golden Knights have really nailed this in Vegas, but again, very endemic to that particular market. Right. How do you have a hockey team in Las Vegas and just be like, oh, we're all about the hockey. They understood the market and what people wanted to do.

28:19

Stacy Johns

They understood the assignment for sure.

28:20

Dave Almy

The assignment. And so such opportunity for you and la, it's not like you're in a market where you'd really have to stretch to be able to find out, like, where can we grab entertainment value from or where's no.

28:33

Stacy Johns

And I think we have to just be creative on. We are not the Dodgers. So I cannot call, you know, like Ice Cube to come show up to my game. And he's like, oh, I'll come perform for free. I mean, I can try, but probably going to be less effective. And so I, you know, we started thinking internally about how do we, you know, think about every young person that comes to this market typically is coming here to be something, to start something, to do something, to have a dream. So do we start focusing more on that younger, like, up and coming talent and giving them their shot in places where other teams are not. And, you know, our name is the Sparks. Like, maybe, you know, maybe we're the spark.

29:14

Stacy Johns

Maybe we're that like, beginning point for artists and, you know, fashion people, as opposed to like trying to go and get the big name brands, big name artists. Are we trying to give people a shot? And, you know, if you do that enough, you end up getting people, oh,.

29:30

Dave Almy

You're going to land a couple.

29:31

Stacy Johns

You're going to land. Right? And so how do we kind of like be that spark on the entertainment side? So I think we're going to lean into that a little bit. People love, obviously people who live here want people be successful. Everybody loves a good story, you know, where you had somebody come in and they came here when they were 20 and they're 18 or 16 and they're a waitress and they want to be an actress, they want to be a singer, they want to be a fashion designer, they want to be a film producer. Like, how are we part of those stories? Just like we are rookies that come play basketball. Like, is there a game to play there? Because I don't think anyone's playing that game really right now.

30:04

Dave Almy

So you are literally in the land of storytelling. And so how do you help be one of those places that creates a. You know, I love the idea of being the spark that leads to the stories that want, people want, been here and be told. And the other thing people love too is like, I saw them win.

30:17

Stacy Johns

Right.

30:18

Dave Almy

And so people love that.

30:19

Stacy Johns

Yeah. And then, you know, wherever the win is for that artist, like, becomes a very important thing for them. So, like, how do we become part of people's stories so that they authentically show up and want to be, you know, Sparks fans?

30:31

Dave Almy

So we're in a, I think, what can only be called an explosive growth curve for women's sports right now. Certainly over the last five, 10 years, things have been happening in women's sports, that investments are happening and, you know, people are getting involved and interest levels growing and probably at no point more than it has right now. So what does that mean right now for a franchise like the Sparks? What's the, in your mind, essential to maintain and grow the momentum that you're seeing right now?

30:59

Stacy Johns

To me, I think it's what people don't talk about, which I think is not sexy, and that's. I'm an operational person, is like, building things.

31:07

Dave Almy

There's that accounting degree coming in.

31:09

Stacy Johns

I know, building the machine for the long term growth. So not just like chasing the small things, but like, let's build a real engine with, you know, the data and like, build the monster internally that, like, drives the growth forever. So as opposed to, like, chasing the small things or doing the little marketing campaigns is like, no, let's like, actually peel it all back. Like, let's do it the right way from the beginning. So let's almost pretend like we're a startup and let's like, do a total, like, brand guide, like, brand guidelines. Who are we? Like, let's stick to who we are. Let's figure that out. Let's build our data strategy team. Let's build our revenue model. Like, how are we going? What. Who are the aspirational brands we want to partner with? Who are we with today?

31:50

Stacy Johns

How do we, like, bridge the gap? Like, long. Think long term and not short term. Because I think for so long, women's sports was like, you better, like, get as much as you can right now because you don't know how long it's going to last. Like, that's clearly not the case anymore. Like, it's like, let's invest in becoming the most efficient, effective, operationally sound organization that is built for growth. And I think that the people who do that or who have been doing that, the ones you're watching do that. Those are the people that will be successful in the long Term and the ones the most successful today, that growth.

32:20

Dave Almy

Means that there is a ton of people now interested investing in sports. Right? You're seeing money come into it from all kinds of new areas. Private equity, athlete investors. So what advice do you have for people who are looking for investment opportunities in the sport? Is it that idea of operational efficiency and look for those teams that have that capability to look at their operations and optimize them beyond just the brand of the team and the market that they're in? Is that the first point where they should be starting?

32:52

Stacy Johns

I mean, for me, like, yeah, I think that's a pretty big point right now. I think there's a lot of brands that have been created that have not. That are not efficient, that like have a lot of opportunity behind them. I think Angel City is one of those. I mean, I happen to have like a very front seat view of that. I mean the brand and what they did is incredible. They have not built the machine to like really like take that from like here to like there. What they're doing, I mean they're working that right now. But I think that's what you'll see, like Willow trying to do, I think is really take this incredible idea, this incredible like vision, founding vision that hasn't been operationalized yet and hasn't been maximized yet and has a ton of potential.

33:37

Stacy Johns

So I think there's a, there's probably a lot of those things around you and you see the people who did that, like Liberty, like, look at what, you know, they, when, you know, when the size came in and do you change that?

33:48

Dave Almy

Angel City, they landed and opened with such fanfare. They had, they had done a really good job of connecting it to the la entertainment culture complex. Right. I mean they had a lot of high profile, a list names attached to it. Did that allow them a grace period to like, that was a large part of how they entered the market. It drew a lot of attention and that allowed them to maybe not do all the efficiency and operation thing or avoid it. The front end.

34:17

Stacy Johns

I think it's just like when you're a startup, you just like aren't necessarily efficient. Like I think it's hard to be a startup and be efficient at the same time. Like you're just trying to take advantage of every opportunity and you're kind of chasing like. And that's, I mean that's why I saw LAC when I first got there is like they had done a great job building that brand and like Chasing the dream and the vision, but, like, there was no systems built behind it to help really make that take it to the next level. So I think it's really true for a lot of startups, and I think a lot of women's teams are like, startups or actually are startups, because there's so many new teams, like, coming up and popping up every day. So, I mean, it's true.

34:53

Stacy Johns

Like, I feel like almost every.

34:54

Dave Almy

Don't close your eyes. I know you'll find every moment, leagues.

34:57

Stacy Johns

And teams, it's just like you never know what's coming. So I think, yeah, like, the pwl, like, I just, you know, who knew how. How awesome that could be in such a short time and what they've been able to accomplish. I mean, women's hockey, like, I hadn't even thought about it, and then someone thought about it, and it's this incredible, like, opportunity now. And every time I turn around, they're opening a city, you know, Also, you.

35:19

Dave Almy

Have a generation of leaders inside the organization now who have had a lot of experience, particularly women and female executives who, like, you bring like, hey, here's 30 years of experience on how not to do things or what's worked. When you can plug those in on the front end.

35:40

Stacy Johns

Yeah.

35:41

Dave Almy

Doesn't that lead to get you a little bit further down the race than you might have really started?

35:45

Stacy Johns

I definitely think it does. I definitely think it does. And I think you're seeing a lot more people with a lot more experience in women's sports now than what you did, you know, five or 10 years ago, partially because, I mean, they're now, I think, starting to compensate people in these roles. Like, before, it was like, hey, Cece, come work in sport women's sports and take a giant pay cut 60 discount. I mean, yeah, it's like, wasn't right. And I think, you know, women shouldn't have done it and didn't do it, and it's a different story today. So I think you are getting, you know, both men, more talented men and women coming into these roles. I mean, I have a lot of, you know, men who want to come work in women's sports, too. It's not just women anymore.

36:23

Stacy Johns

It's men who either have daughters or just, like, want to do the right thing or excited about it or love it for whatever reason. I mean, some people love the W because they feel like it's more traditional basketball than what the NBA plays. I mean, everybody's got a reason for it, but I think you're just seeing A lot more people interested in being part of it, who, to your point, have a lot more experience in sports for the last 10 or 15 or 20 years.

36:47

Dave Almy

So thinking back to the start you began your career as a cpa. What do you feel like was your biggest leadership asset that you brought to the table and where you feel like your own personal growth has been the highest?

37:04

Stacy Johns

Yeah, I think when you start in public accounting, not just like the accounting piece, but more public accounting as a discipline, you are thrown in at a pretty young age into like, hey, go figure this out. Without, without imperfect information. And I think, you know, being able to make decisions and get to answer in my mind, answers like is. Was. It was a strong skill. And like problem solving. And like, that was something I was really good at the time. And I think I thought that was really helpful. It's like, oh, I can get to answer. Right? And what I've realized, like from there is actually it's all about the questions you're asking. And I, and I probably always knew that a little bit because that's how I. How you got so good at being a public accountant is asking the right questions.

37:49

Stacy Johns

But in the end, it felt like I was trying to get to answers. But like, answers aren't really the thing. It's really the questions you're getting and the questions you're asking to try to get to a different place or find new answers. And definitely that's what I think I have learned the most over the past, like 10 years and these roles is I have to ask a lot of questions because the higher up you get, the less people talk to you about anything, unfortunately. I mean, you're laughing. It's true. And so for me to find things out, both the gossip, which is important for me to know sometimes, and also the facts, because you can't possibly sit in the seat and know everything. You don't know everything. And if you think you know everything, you're.

38:24

Stacy Johns

You just need to walk out of the seat because you're wrong. So I think that just like that I know the answers, which again, was really helpful and useful for me in my young career to be decisive and knowledgeable for the young people that worked for me in that public accounting roles. Moving into this role, it's better for me to not know the answer sometimes ask other people's opinions and really try to empower people that work for me.

38:49

Dave Almy

Because it just took the word right.

38:50

Stacy Johns

Out of my mouth at this level. Like, if I am not empowering people And I don't have great people that work for me. Like, I might as well, like, pack up and leave because one person can't sit a role like this and do everything themselves. Like, it's all about having great people and people that are smarter than people. Me, people who know more than I do. Young people who know the city and the culture better. Like, I don't know young artists. Like, I don't know fashion anymore. Like, I'm almost 50 years old and I have kids that help me with that. But voice of my kids. Like, I listen to John Mellencamp and I have my own things. I'm not cool, so I need cool.

39:25

Dave Almy

People around me being parked to the side of the cool school bus, right?

39:32

Stacy Johns

And I think the sooner you acknowledge that and you're okay and cool with that, it's like that actually makes you cooler. It's just like, yeah, I'm not that cool. It's okay. I need you to help me.

39:43

Dave Almy

And like, I know John Mellencamp's a big listener to this, and John, I just want to make sure that, you know, you don't. Just don't take that as anything other than just really an adoring fan.

39:53

Stacy Johns

No, I still can't. I'm a big fan from Indiana. It's like I'm choosing to go to one concert this year and it will be him at the Hollywood Bowls. There you go. Because you go to so many events as an executive and many of them are like, either my kids want to go or I have to go. I'm invited to go, and I'm entertaining people. I'll be going to John Mellencamp.

40:15

Dave Almy

John, you have a big fan base here. I'm with Stacey, John. She's the president of Los Angeles Sparks. Stacey, thanks for all the time today. Before I let you go though, I'm gonna check into the lightning round. Gotta see the look on your face. Says this is not.

40:27

Stacy Johns

Oh, God.

40:28

Dave Almy

Oh, God. What the hell is this?

40:29

Stacy Johns

No, I'm just kidding.

40:30

Dave Almy

I'm gonna give you a series of questions. All I want from you is the first thing that pops into your head. Okay, here we go. You're a self proclaimed swifty. How many times did you see the ERAS tour?

40:40

Stacy Johns

Four.

40:41

Dave Almy

Oh, my God. Where was the. Which one was the best one?

40:43

Stacy Johns

Oh, no, I went to four in Los Angeles.

40:45

Dave Almy

You went to all four?

40:47

Stacy Johns

No, there were more, but I went to four. Yes, I did.

40:51

Dave Almy

You had a regular seated Sofi for that one.

40:52

Stacy Johns

Okay, I, I, I moved around a bit, but yes, it was Great. I went with different people, so. Yeah.

40:58

Dave Almy

Oh, you got to see it through different eyes every day.

40:59

Stacy Johns

I get yes. With my daughters, with my good friends, with my friends from Indiana that came to visit. I. With my co workers. Like all different people, you are.

41:08

Dave Almy

You are. That's not getting around. You are a swifty.

41:10

Stacy Johns

I know. Driving to SoFi four times in one week is no joke.

41:15

Dave Almy

That take years off your life?

41:16

Stacy Johns

That's right.

41:17

Dave Almy

Okay. You are an accountant running a sports franchise. How many players ask you to do their taxes?

41:22

Stacy Johns

None, actually. I think nobody knows I'm an accountant in hiding.

41:25

Dave Almy

lla runs in the final four in: 2010

41:37

Stacy Johns

So I actually was at the Final Four game indianapolis, and, you know, while that was hard to watch, it was so incredible to be there, and I actually got to watch it with Bill Polian, who, if you know who that is, watching a sporting event with a genius of sport, you're seeing real life experience. It really is. And I knew him pretty well. He might have asked me to do my taxes back in the day, actually. But he just. Listening to him and how he thinks about the game and the players and the style and just.

42:13

Dave Almy

Yeah, watch this. This is about heaven. They should be trying this. Like.

42:16

Stacy Johns

Yeah, like, it was fascinating. So that was awesome.

42:20

Dave Almy

You spent 16 years indianapolis and have been in la for a little over six now. A little over six years, yeah. I think it's clear the cities are different, but how are they most alike?

42:31

Stacy Johns

Wow. I don't know if I can think of anything that makes them alike. They're so different.

42:37

Dave Almy

Similar beaches, maybe.

42:39

Stacy Johns

Yeah, right? So many beaches, similar Mexican food. No, I mean, no Mexican food indiana is all just like. I mean.

42:50

Dave Almy

Okay, you can skip. You want to hit skip?

42:52

Stacy Johns

I'm going to skip that one.

42:53

Dave Almy

If you think of anything before the end, we can skip.

42:55

Stacy Johns

I'll let you know.

42:56

Dave Almy

This is somewhat related. You've got three kids like we've been talking about. Do they consider themselves Midwestern or West Coasters?

43:03

Stacy Johns

I think my oldest daughter is 20, so I'd say she. She identifies with Western. The younger two are definitely West Coast.

43:11

Dave Almy

They're the West Coasters. Yeah.

43:13

Stacy Johns

Yeah. My daughter won't probably. She'll probably stop telling people she was born there one day.

43:18

Dave Almy

All right, we're getting close to the end here. What's your favorite bit of math? Arcana.

43:24

Stacy Johns

Oh, gosh. Can I skip that one, too?

43:30

Dave Almy

I know it's a tough one. I kind of wrote that one. I was like, it's a tough one, but math is kind of fun that way. Last one who's a mentor you'd like to give a shout out to.

43:40

Stacy Johns

Yeah. I mean, this one's a little bit unusual, but I'm going to do it because it is. It is, like, the most important person in my life, which is my fiance, but also my former boss. So a little bit unique, but not probably totally to everyone.

43:58

Dave Almy

That's not that unusual.

43:59

Stacy Johns

Yeah. Yeah. No, it's not. But he is an incredible leader. He's an incredible human, and he's taught me how to, I think, enhance human connection with people, and that has changed how I do business and how I live daily life. So just thinking, you know, very intentionally about people and when you get to know people, really getting to know them, so, like, putting the phone down, learning something interesting about them and then remembering it and then reminding them that you remember it and how that makes people feel. And I think just that intentionality that he has with people is, like. Is a gift. It is a gift, and it's also a skill that you hone every single day. So that piece.

44:41

Stacy Johns

And he's also just an incredible uplifter and, like, someone who has, like, basically been whispering in my ear that I can do it when I needed that. And it's been, you know, life changing.

44:53

Dave Almy

For me, clearly, going from mentor to fiancé. Congratulations on that regard. Stacey Johns. She is the president of the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA. Stacey, thanks for the time.

45:05

Stacy Johns

Thank you.

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