WNBA to play 22-game season in Florida
The WNBA will play its 24th season at a single site, IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, under a plan announced Monday by the league.
Like the NBA, which is completing its season in Orlando due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 12-team WNBA is going to Florida in an attempt to minimize risks associated with the disease.
Teams will play 22 regular season games starting in late July (following a training camp), down from the planned record 36 when the season was scheduled to begin May 15, followed by playoffs. Players will receive 100 percent of their salary — now higher than any time in league history due to a new collective bargaining agreement reached earlier this year — provided the 22 games and playoffs are completed.
“We are finalizing a season start plan to build on the tremendous momentum generated in the league during the offseason and have used the guiding principles of health and safety of players and essential staff to establish necessary and extensive protocols,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said.
“We will continue to consult with medical experts and public health officials as well as players, team owners and other stakeholders as we move forward with our execution plan. And, despite the disruption caused by the global pandemic to our 2020 season, the WNBA and its Board of Governors believe strongly in supporting and valuing the elite women athletes who play in the WNBA and therefore, players will receive their full pay and benefits during the 2020 season.”
The players union (WNBPA) voted in favor of the plan, which includes a traditional playoff format.
"In our discussions with the league, we emphasized and they agreed that a strong commitment to a 2020 season will give the WNBA the chance to show the world that it's taking the steps needed to secure our livelihood and well-being, while also providing the opportunity to amplify our collective voice,” WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike said.
“We have always been at the forefront of initiatives with strong support of #BlackLivesMatter, #SayHerName, the LGBTQ+ community, gun control, voting rights, #MeToo, mental health and the list goes on. This is not only necessary from a humanitarian perspective, but it may be one of the biggest opportunities that this league has and will ever have.”
The Washington Mystics are defending WNBA champions.
The Phoenix Mercury are among the league's most high profile teams with stars Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and newly acquired Skylar Diggins-Smith.
Point guard Diggins-Smith is among six new players, all with WNBA experience, joining the Mercury, who were 15-19 in 2019 and lost in the first round of the playoffs, their worst finish since missing out on the playoffs in 2012. From 2013-18, the Mercury were among the WNBA playoff final four teams, winning a third championship in 2014.
Vince Kozar, Mercury chief operating officer, said he hopes all 11 players on the Mercury roster will choose to play this season. There are reports that they must decide by June 25 whether to play because of the coronavirus pandemic. The only Mercury player currently not in the U.S. is Alanna Smith, who is in her native Australia.
"What I know is we have a group that seems to be really excited about getting on the court together this year," Kozar said. "While I can't speak for all of them individually, as long as the situation is right, as long as it's safe and everything works for the league and the players, I know we have a group that is excited to get back on the floor."
Griner, Taurasi and Diggins-Smith are in Phoenix now as is coach Sandy Brondello. Others could come here before going to Florida in early July although Kozar said that is not required.
WNBA career scoring leader Taurasi only played in six games last season due to back surgery and a hamstring injury.
In an active offseason, the Mercury lost star forward DeWanna Bonner and obtained Diggins-Smith in sign-andtrade deals, traded Briann January to acquire Jessica Breland and Nia Coffey and signed free agents Bria Hartley, Kia Vaughn and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough.
The Mercury's other returners beyond Taurasi and WNBA most valuable player contender Griner are secondyear players Brianna Turner, Smith and Sophie Cunningham.
The Mercury had planned to play this season at Veterans Memorial Coliseum due to renovations at Talking Stick Resort Arena. There still is a chance they will be at the Coliseum in 2021 depending on the construction timetable.
"We've been hard to work trying to figure out ways to maintain that high (fan) engagement," Kozar said. "We've been working for 14 months to get the Madhouse (Coliseum) ready for those fans. It's disappointing we're not going to be able to bring that place to life to play a game that counts in that building for the first time in almost 25 years.
"It's on us to make sure we're still interacting with those folks, to make sure they still get access to our players and hopefully by the time late October rolls around, we'll be able to come back with a trophy and celebrate in person with our fans."