Dawn Trudeau, co-owner of the Seattle Storm, begins her gameday at 6:30 am by checking the New York Times headlines. After that, she performs physical therapy exercises for her neck and lower back, often joined by her cats named Stewie and Jewell, after former Storm All-Stars Breanna Stewart and Jewell Loyd. Trudeau, who bought the team with Force 10 Hoops in 2008 to keep it in Seattle after the SuperSonics left, now owns a franchise with four WNBA championships.
Morning Rituals and Pre-Game Preparations
After her morning routine, Trudeau makes coffee in a Storm mug and selects a T-shirt from her three packed drawers. She also has a lucky jade necklace she wore during the 2010 championship season. Trudeau, who purchased season tickets on day one in 2000, still holds four season tickets and often gives them away to friends. She leaves her Queen Anne condo for a 15-minute walk to Climate Pledge Arena, sometimes meeting friends for lunch or early dinner at Uptown China, bonding with the female proprietor over shared business ownership.
Arriving at the Arena
Trudeau arrives at the arena around 6:30 pm, 12 hours after waking. She walks the concourse to gauge the crowd, checking the team shop and concession stands. She may watch players taking early shots, purely for enjoyment. Trudeau is hands-off regarding transactions, trusting her staff: “You have to believe in your staff. They know more than you do. Even though I’m paying close attention, I don’t necessarily have the skills of a GM.” She adds, “You can have opinions, but they’re just that. They’re perfectly free to ignore them.”
Game Time and Team Dynamics
For the preseason game against the Portland Fire, Trudeau anticipates a friendly rivalry. The Storm are rebuilding with young talent like rookie Flau’jae Johnson and center Dominique Malonga. Trudeau says, “We are just beside ourselves with excitement to have such great young talent.” During the game, she and other co-owners stay away from players and coaches to avoid distraction. After the game, they visit the locker room to offer praise or check on health issues. “Typically, we won’t make a comment unless someone had a great game. Or maybe if there is a health issue, you’ll see how they are. You’re just trying to make a human connection,” Trudeau explains.
Ownership Philosophy and Community Involvement
Trudeau also serves on several boards, including the Pacific Science Center, which is adjacent to Climate Pledge Arena. She values its mission of accessibility: “Any family can say they want a membership and even if they can’t afford it, we’ll give it to them for free.” Reflecting on the Storm’s ownership, she says: “Since we bought the team 18 years ago, we’ve wanted to create more opportunities for women, and particularly for our league and players. The vision that we had when we bought the team was trying to create better opportunities and a better lifestyle for players to be fully professional – that’s what we always wanted.”
