Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Meadows Clark.
Kimberly, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I got started by happenstance! I worked in the nonprofit sector. I worked as a Day Program Coordinator and Community Engagement for a Men’s homeless shelter. I was really excited about this venture and had created an excellent program that strikes interest in other community organizations to possibly implement it in their organizations.
I also had established great quarterly fundraisers, and I also worked to establish an onsite screening clinic at our shelter, which gained me an honorable mention in a medical write up. I was on a roll! (Lol) one day we began getting an increase in youth looking for shelter between the ages of 18 and 23. One particular, we were slammed with young adults being dropped off at our front door. These young men were 18 and had aged out the foster care system. Over the next several days, we worked trying to get these young men adjusted to their new norm. One young man stood out to me, and everyday we would talk about his goals, etc.
Then one day he says “Hey Mrs. Kim, you know I want to play professional basketball!”, I was like, “huh?”. Well, I am always up for a challenge. I made some phone calls, which lead me to the American Basketball Association. I initially contacted them on something totally different than owning a team, they researched me and the pursuit began. After about a month of negotiations, I was the proud owner of Birmingham’s Magic City Surge! (Originally Magic City Blitz, but re changed our name due to marketing reasons). I became the first female (African-American female) in the state of Alabama to own a professional sports team.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Honestly, it has not, because we are not the ABA and are not millionaires. We do not get the recognition we deserve. We are part of the largest professional sports league in the world with teams from Canada to Australia, Mexico and Brazil! Most of our owners are minorities and females.
One of our biggest struggles is funding. For the first 2/3 yrs, my husband and I provided most of the funding, with small sponsorships here and there. Our other struggle is the fact that most people just don’t accept a black female owning a Professional sports team. You would. Think most of this would have discouraged me but it actually made me fight harder to get us where we are today.
Please tell us about Magic City Surge.
So we are the Magic City Surge, a Professional Men’s Basketball Team in the historic American Basketball Association (ABA). We specialize in basketball, but our main focus is assisting these young men in not just following their dreams but experiencing their dreams. I am most proud of the fact that we are able to allow young men to really play Professional basketball who might not have gotten the chance otherwise. Most of our guys have played in college and a couple. On a Professional level but life happened and they just needed another chance. I think what sets us apart is that we are community-driven. My experience working in the nonprofit sector makes us strive to create servant leaders, young men with heart s of compassion.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
When I say, I am blessed to have the people in my corner that I do! First, my Husband (I actually purchased the team and told him while he was at work lol!) But he has believed in me from the start. My staff Calteesha Andrews (COO), she started out as a volunteer in our first season, but I don’t think we could make it without her. Our Director of marketing and advertising Darrius Bussey, he has been an intricate part in helping us grow in brand awareness. Our Coach, who was actually a player in season 1 Richard Ford. Wayne Thomas was our season 1 Coach. He is also my spiritual brother he still encourages and helps us to this day. Then our sponsors, especially Ferlando Parker, Sr. Who owns ihangtvs.com, I know I have to get on his nerves, but he is our business mentor and super patient with us.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.magiccitysurge.com
- Phone: 317-762-5733
- Email: frontoffice@magiccitysurge.com
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/magiccitysurge
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/magiccitysurge
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