OIB Announces Leadership Change; Names Gutierrez as 3rd President
Newly-announced OIB President Sonya Gutierrez addresses reporters.
January 12, 2027; New York, NY- The Organization of International Basketball announced a leadership change today, with longtime President Marshall Pearson stepping down and former Aqueus Sports CEO Sonya Gutierrez taking over the role. Gutierrez, who has served on the OIB Board for the past six years, takes over at a challenging time for the organization, with the threat of a player strike looming on the horizon and rumored dissension amongst key franchise owners.
Since the departure of heir apparent Mercury “Merc” Grey two years ago, Gutierrez’s name has been on the short list of prospective successors to Pearson. Gutierrez, who served as the CEO of leading sportswear and apparel company Aqueus for seven years, is known as a favorite of OIB Players’ Association President Damian McCollum, and many believe her first charge will be to work with McCollum and others at the OIBPA to prevent a long-anticipated player strike. At issue is the growing list of demands being made by the OIBPA, which has long held to its belief that “the players make the league, not the other way around.”
According to McCollum, the players have three primary demands:
First, they are demanding a role in hiring team coaches and staff, especially following a season in which three coaches that were well-liked by coaches lost their positions. Several players have expressed concerns that the agendas of ownership and the players are not always aligned, specifically when injuries are concerned. Players also worry that if they choose to join a team in free agency, in large part because of the team’s culture and staff, and the staff is then dismissed and replaced, they may be forced to play in a system or under a coach that they don’t want to play for. Several players have demanded veto rights on staff hires, while others have requested a “role in the hiring process”.
Second on the list is an allocation of “rest time” after 20 games, which would be granted to each player based on his team’s playoff standing and his utilization rate over the previous 20 games. Fans and owners have taken particular issue with this demand. Fans of course claim if they spend money on tickets to see certain players, those players should be playing. Fearful that “load management” considerations will deter fans from purchasing tickets, owners have been justifiably concerned about an allocation of “rest time” that is without limitations. In recent years, many of the league’s top players have chosen to sit out games without notice and when they are otherwise healthy, which has proven to be a thorn in the league’s side.
Finally, OIB players have demanded that a portion of team ownership be allocated to the players on the team. This has been a request that many owners have been open to, but as of yet, the two sides have been unable to agree on a structure that would address each side’s requests.
When asked about where she stands on the three issues, Gutierrez responded, “I see a way forward on all three topics and I’m very optimistic that we will be able to resolve these issues to the satisfaction of all parties.” Her optimism was shared by McCollum, but the standout superstar added that the two sides “are not as close as I’d like to see us at this stage in negotiations.”
Pearson, who shepherded the league through multiple expansions, the introduction (and later elimination) of betting, and the acquisition of the Premier League, said he was proud of what he was able to accomplish during his tenure and looks forward to “continuing to serve the OIB as a member of the league’s Board.”