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Changes coming to Atlanta Dream telecasts; Rathbun, Robinson out

By Howard Megdal

ATLANTA, GA JULY 22: The Atlanta Dreams broadcast team of Bob Rathbun (left) and LaChina Robinson (right) during the WNBA game between Atlanta and Seattle on July 22, 2018 at Hank McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta, GA. The Atlanta Dream defeated the Seattle Storm by a score of 87 74. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA JULY 22: The Atlanta Dreams broadcast team of Bob Rathbun (left) and LaChina Robinson (right) during the WNBA game between Atlanta and Seattle on July 22, 2018 at Hank McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta, GA. The Atlanta Dream defeated the Seattle Storm by a score of 87 74. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Atlanta Dream broadcasts will look and sound very different in 2019.

Longtime broadcast partners Bob Rathbun and LaChina Robinson will not be part of the Atlanta Dream television team in 2019, a financial decision that comes along with a choice to pull the games from Fox Sports South, the Dream’s longtime television carrier.

According to a source familiar with the negotiations, the Dream offered Rathbun and Robinson a chance to stay on at a pay cut of approximately 35 percent. Both have declined.

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“The Dream — and all teams — make business decisions that best direct the future of their franchises,” Dream general manager Chris Sienko told High Post Hoops in response to an email inquiry concerning the decision. “In the same breath, independent contractors make business decisions for themselves. Our intension was to retain the talent from previous seasons, hoping they would buy into our bigger-picture changes. Unfortunately, it did not make business sense for them.

“These changes are not a testament to their ability, but rather, a small piece in a bigger conversation about business models and a myriad of decisions made on a daily basis to best serve our franchise. Monies are tight with W franchises and saving or shifting dollars in one area affords us the ability to enhance another — such as advertising or adding ticket sellers, the true lifeblood of a franchise.”

The Dream declined to share their forthcoming television plans at this time, though should CBS Sports Network air the local broadcasts as part of their WNBA deal, as was the case with NBA TV in recent years, the nation will get a look at the Dream home broadcasts as soon as May 31, when Atlanta hosts Seattle in one of the 40 WNBA games part of the deal between CBS Sports Network and the league.

The Dream open their season May 24, at home against the Dallas Wings.

Rathbun is a longtime voice of women’s basketball, not only of the Dream, but has called games for many years on Raycom as well, and is deeply sourced in the sport. Robinson, of course, is the linchpin behind Around The Rim, the women’s basketball podcast, and serves as a frequent analyst for WNBA games on ESPN. Both are unabashed supporters of women’s basketball.

While the Dream paid Fox Sports South to broadcast the games, rather than receiving any money for broadcasting rights, Fox Sports South also provided significant promotional push, including on Braves, Hawks and Atlanta United telecasts, not to mention the significant social reach of both Rathbun and Robinson.

Both broadcasters declined to comment on the record about the decision.

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