Marketing whiz Susan O'Malley, the first and only female president of an NBA franchise, is leaving the Washington Wizards.

O'Malley has been president of the Wizards since 1991, earning a league-wide reputation for creative promotions that helped draw new fans to a team that had been struggling at the gate.

Susan O'Malley, president of Washington Sports and Entertainment, left, and owner Abe Pollin, take part in a news conference in Washington in this Sept. 9, 2003 file photo. O'Malley, the NBA's first and only female president of an NBA franchise, is leaving the Washington Wizards. [AP]

"Susan has been my right hand through the past 20 years and has helped guide the fortunes of our company," Wizards owner Abe Pollin said. "She has simply been fantastic in every way, from the moment she came here to the present, and I will always be thankful for her guidance and leadership."

Trying to find a niche in a Redskins-dominated city, O'Malley devised unusual season ticket packages and unique in-game promotions for the Wizards, who struggled in the standings for much of the 1990s.

"I thought if we did some creative things, whether it was a wedding at halftime, or shoot a basket to pay your taxes, we could get more fans to the game," O'Malley told The Associated Press. "I just tried to break through the noise. I just tried to stand out."

O'Malley also oversaw the business operations of the NHL's Washington Capitals for four years until Pollin sold the team in 1999. Her contract with the Wizards expires June 30, but she said she will remain an adviser with the team through the 10th anniversary celebration of the Verizon Center in December.

O'Malley, 45, graduated from the law school at Georgetown University last month. She said she will take a vacation before deciding on her future plans.

"Nobody believes me when I tell them I have no idea," O'Malley said. "It's going to be hard to find something that challenges me like this gig."

O'Malley said the lack of other female presidents in the league doesn't disappoint her because women have moved into other front office positions in all sports.

"There are more women in the industry," O'Malley said. "It doesn't have to be in the NBA, but even in the NBA you see a lot more women in management positions."