document_title: The Fox and the Hound

question_text: girl fox name on fox and the hound

question_tokens: girl fox name on fox and the hound

text: The Fox and the Hound

text: Plot

text: After a young red fox is orphaned, Big Mama the owl, with the help of her friends Dinky the finch and Boomer the woodpecker, arranges for him to be adopted by a kindly farmer named Widow Tweed. Tweed names him Tod, because he reminds her of a toddler. Meanwhile, her neighbor, a hunter named Amos Slade, brings home a young hound puppy named Copper and introduces him to his hunting dog Chief. One day, Tod and Copper meet and become playmates, vowing to remain "friends forever". Amos grows frustrated at Copper for constantly wandering off to play, and places him on a leash. While playing with Copper outside his doghouse, Tod awakens Chief. Amos and Chief chase Tod until they are stopped by Tweed. After an argument, Amos threatens to kill Tod if he trespasses on his farm again. Hunting season comes and Amos takes his dogs into the wilderness for the interim. Meanwhile, Big Mama, Dinky, and Boomer attempt to explain to Tod that his friendship with Copper will not continue, as they are natural enemies, but Tod naively refuses to believe them, hoping that he and Copper will remain friends forever.

text: As months pass, Tod and Copper both reach adulthood. Copper has become an experienced hunting dog, while Tod has grown up into a handsome fox. On the night of Copper's return, Tod sneaks over to visit him. Copper explains that while he still values Tod as a friend, he is now a hunting dog and things are different. Their conversation awakens Chief, who alerts Amos. In the ensuing chase Copper catches Tod. Against his better judgement, Copper lets Tod go and diverts Chief and Amos. Tod tries escaping onto a railroad track, but is caught and pursued by Chief as a train approaches on the tracks. Tod ducks under the train, but Chief is struck by the train and falls into the river below, breaking his leg. Angered by this, Copper and Amos blame Tod for the accident and vow vengeance. Tweed, realizing that Tod is no longer safe with her, takes him on a drive and leaves him at a game preserve.

text: Tod's first night alone in the woods proves disastrous, as he inadvertently trespasses into an irritable old badger's den. Thankfully, a friendly porcupine offers Tod shelter. That same night, Amos and Copper plan to poach Tod. The next morning, Big Mama finds Tod and introduces him to a female fox named Vixey. Wanting to impress her, Tod tries to catch a fish, but fails due to his lack of survival skills. Vixey and the other animals laugh at him, but Big Mama straightens the matter by directing Tod to be himself. The two foxes reconcile and Vixey helps Tod adapt to life in the forest.

text: Meanwhile, Amos and Copper trespass into the preserve to hunt Tod. As Tod manages to escape Amos' leghold traps, Copper and Amos pursue both foxes. They hide in their burrow while Amos tries trapping them by setting fire to the other end of the burrow. The foxes narrowly escape without getting burned as Amos and Copper chase them up the top of a hill until they reach a waterfall. There, Amos and Copper close in for the kill, but a large bear suddenly emerges from the bushes and attacks Amos. Amos trips and falls into one of his own traps, dropping his gun slightly out of reach. Copper tries fighting the bear but is no match for it. Not willing to let his former friend die, Tod intervenes and fights the bear until they both fall down the waterfall.

text: With the bear gone, a bewildered Copper approaches Tod as he lies exhausted near the bank of a waterfall-created lake. When Amos appears, Copper positions himself in front of Tod to prevent his owner from shooting him, refusing to move away. Amos lowers his gun and leaves with Copper. Tod and Copper share one last smile before parting. At home, Tweed nurses Amos back to health while the dogs rest. Copper, before resting, smiles as he remembers the day when he first met Tod. On a hill, Vixey joins Tod as they look down on the homes of Amos and Tweed.

text: Cast

text:
Mickey Rooney as Tod
Keith Mitchell as Young Tod
Kurt Russell as Copper
Corey Feldman as Young Copper
Pearl Bailey as Big Mama
Jack Albertson as Amos Slade
Sandy Duncan as Vixey
Jeanette Nolan as Widow Tweed
Pat Buttram as Chief
John Fiedler as The Porcupine
John McIntire as The Badger
Dick Bakalyan as Dinky
Paul Winchell as Boomer

text: Production

text: Development

text: Wolfgang Reitherman read the original novel and found it particularly touching because one of his sons had once owned a pet fox years before. He decided that it would make for a good animated feature for which production began in spring 1977.[3][4] The title was initially reported as The Fox and the Hounds,[5] but the filmmakers dropped the plural as the story began to focus more and more on the two leads.[6] Reitherman was the film's original director along with Art Stevens as co-director. A power struggle between the two directors and co-producer Ron Miller broke out between them over key sections of the film with Miller supporting the younger Stevens. Miller instructed Reitherman to surrender reins over the junior personnel,[7] but Reitherman resisted due to a lack of trust in the young animators.[8]

text: In an earlier version of the film, Chief was slated to die as he did in the novel. However, the scene was modified to have Chief survive with a cast on his back paw. Animator Ron Clements, who had briefly transitioned into the story department, protested that "Chief has to die. The picture doesn't work if he just breaks his leg. Copper doesn't have motivation to hate the fox." Likewise, younger members of the story team pleaded with Stevens to have Chief killed. Stevens countered that "Geez, we never killed a main character in a Disney film and we're not starting now!" The younger crew members took the problem to upper management who would also back Stevens.[9] Ollie Johnston's test animation of Chief stomping around the house with his leg in a cast was eventually kept, and Randy Cartwright re-animated the scene where Copper finds Chief's body and had him animate Chief's eyes opening and closing so the audience knew that he was not dead.[10]

text: Another fight erupted when Reitherman, in thinking the film lacked a strong second act, decided to add a musical sequence of two swooping cranes voiced by Phil Harris and Charo who would sing a silly song titled "Scoobie-Doobie Doobie Doo, Let Your Body Turn Goo" to Tod after he was dropped in the forest. Charo has recorded the song and voice tracks which were storyboarded,[11] and live-action reference footage was shot of her in a sweaty pink leotard. However, the scene was strongly disliked by studio personnel who felt the song was a distraction from the main plot with Stevens stating "We can't let that sequence in the movie! It's totally out of place!"[12] Stevens notified studio management and after many story conferences, the scene was removed. Reitherman later walked into Stevens's office, slumped in a chair, and said, "I dunno, Art, maybe this is a young man's medium." He later moved on to undeveloped projects such as Catfish Bend and died in a car accident in 1985.[13]

text: Animation

text: By late 1978, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, and Cliff Nordberg had completed their animation. Thomas had animated scenes of Tod and Cooper using dialogue Larry Clemmons had written and recorded with the child actors.[14] This project would mark the last film to have the involvement of the Disney's Nine Old Men who had retired early during production,[15] and animation was turned over the next generation of directors and animators, which included John Lasseter, John Musker, Ron Clements, Glen Keane, Tim Burton, Brad Bird, Henry Selick, Chris Buck, and Mark Dindal, all of whom would finalize the animation and complete the film's production. These animators had moved through the in-house animation training program, and would play an important role in the Disney Renaissance of the 1980s and 1990s.[16]

text: However, the transition between the old guard and the new resulted in arguments over how to handle the film. Reitherman had his own ideas on the designs and layouts that should be used, but the newer team backed Stevens. Animator Don Bluth animated several scenes including of Widow Tweed milking her cow, Abigail, while his team worked on the rest of the sequence, and when Tweed fires at Amos Slade's automobile. Nevertheless, Bluth and the new animators felt that Reitherman was too stern and out of touch,[11] and on his 42nd birthday, September 13, 1979, Bluth, along with Gary Goldman and John Pomeroy, entered Ron Miller's office and turned in their resignation. Following their resignations, 13 animators followed suit in their resignations. Though Bluth and his team had animated substantial scenes, they asked not to receive screen credit.[15] With 17% of the animators now gone,[3] Miller ordered all of the resigning animators off the studio lot by noon of that same day and would later push the release of The Fox and the Hound from Christmas 1980 to summer 1981. New animators were hired and promoted to fill the ranks. To compensate for the lack of experience of the new animators, much of the quality control would rely upon a corp of veteran assistant animators.[17][10] Four years after production started, the film was finished with approximately 360,000 drawings, 110,000 painted cels and 1,100 painted backgrounds making up the finished product. A total of 180 people, including 24 animators, worked on the film.[3]

text: Casting

text: Early into production, the principal characters such as young Tod and Copper, Big Mama, and Amos Slade had already been cast. The supporting characters were cast by Disney voice regulars including Pat Buttram for Chief, Paul Winchell for Boomer, and Mickey Rooney for adult Tod who had just finished filming Pete's Dragon. Jeanette Nolan was the second choice for Widow Tweed after Helen Hayes turned down the part.[18] The last role to be cast was for adult Cooper. Jackie Cooper had auditioned for the role, but left the project when he demanded more money than the studio was willing to pay. While filming the Elvis television film, former Disney child actor Kurt Russell was cast following a reading that had impressed the filmmakers, and completed his dialogue in two recording sessions.[19]

text: Soundtrack

text:
The Fox and the HoundSoundtrack album by Various artistsReleased
1981Recorded
1980-1981Genre
Children's, ClassicalLabel
Walt Disney

text: The soundtrack album for the film was released in 1981 by Walt Disney Records.[20] It contains songs written by Stan Fidel, Jim Stafford, and Jeffrey Patch.[21]

text: Track listing

text: No.TitleWriter(s)Performer(s)Length1."Best of Friends"Stan FidelPearl Bailey 2."Lack of Education"Jim StaffordPearl Bailey 3."A Huntin' Man"Jim StaffordJack Albertson 4."Appreciate the Lady"Jim StaffordPearl Bailey 5."Goodbye May Seem Forever"Jeffrey PatchJeanette Nolan and Chorus

text: Release

text: Home media

text: The Fox and the Hound was first released on North American VHS on March 4, 1994 as the last video of the "Walt Disney Classics" collection (it was not included in the "Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection") and in the UK in 1995. On May 2, 2000, it was released to Region 1 DVD for the first time under the "Walt Disney Gold Classic Collection".[22] A 25th anniversary special edition DVD was released on October 10, 2006.[23]

text: The Fox and the Hound was released on Blu-ray Disc on August 9, 2011 to commemorate the film's 30th anniversary. The film was released in a 3-disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo pack alongside its direct-to video followup The Fox and the Hound 2 in a 2-movie Collection Edition. Featuring a new digital restoration, the Blu-ray transfer presents the film for the first time in 1.66:1 widescreen and also features 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. The Fox and the Hound 2 is presented in 1.78:1 widescreen and features the same sound as the first film.[24] A DVD-only edition was also released on the same day.[24]

text: Reception

text: Critical reception

text: In The Animated Movie Guide, Jerry Beck considered the film "average", though he praises the voice work of Pearl Bailey as Big Mama, and the extreme dedication to detail shown by animator Glen Keane in crafting the fight scene between Copper, Tod, and the bear.[25] In his book The Disney Films, Leonard Maltin also notes that the fight scene between Copper, Tod, and the bear received great praise in the animation world. However, Maltin felt the film relied too much on "formula cuteness, formula comedy relief, and even formula characterizations".[26] Overall, he considered the film "charming" stating that it is "warm, and brimming with personable characters" and that it "approaches the old Disney magic at times."[27]

text: Craig Butler from All Movie Guide stated that the film was a "warm and amusing, if slightly dull, entry in the Disney animated canon." He also called it "conventional and generally predictable" with problems in pacing. However, he praised the film's climax and animation, as well as the ending. His final remark is that "Two of the directors, Richard Rich and Ted Berman, would next direct The Black Cauldron, a less successful but more ambitious project."[28] Richard Corliss of Time, praised the film for an intelligent story about prejudice. He argued that the film shows that biased attitudes can poison even the deepest relationships, and the film's bittersweet ending delivers a powerful and important moral message to audiences.[29]

text: Roger Ebert of the Chicago Times also praised the film, saying that "for all of its familiar qualities, this movie marks something of a departure for the Disney studio, and its movement is in an interesting direction. The Fox and the Hound is one of those relatively rare Disney animated features that contains a useful lesson for its younger audiences. It's not just cute animals and frightening adventures and a happy ending; it's also a rather thoughtful meditation on how society determines our behavior."[30] TV Guide gave the film four out of five stars, saying that "The animation here is better than average (veteran Disney animators Wolfgang Reitherman and Art Stevens supervised the talents of a new crop of artists that developed during a 10-year program at the studio), though not quite up to the quality of Disney Studios in its heyday. Still, this film has a lot of "heart" and is wonderful entertainment for both kids and their parents. Listen for a number of favorites among the voices."[31]

text: Michael Scheinfeld of Common Sense Media gave the film's quality a rating of 4 out of 5 stars, stating that the film "develops into a thoughtful examination of friendship and includes some mature themes, especially loss."[32]

text: The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported that the film received a 69% approval rating with an average rating of 6.6/10 based on 26 reviews. The website's consensus states that "The Fox and the Hound is a likeable, charming, unassuming effort that manages to transcend its thin, predictable plot".[33]

text: Box office

text: In its original release, The Fox and the Hound grossed $39.9 million in domestic grosses. Its distributor rentals were reported to be $14.2 million while its international rentals grossed $43 million.[34] The film was re-released theatrically on March 25, 1988,[3] where it grossed $23.5 million.[35] The Fox and the Hound has had a lifetime gross of $63.5 million across its original release and reissue.[36]

text: Accolades

text: The film was awarded a Golden Screen Award (German: Goldene Leinwand) in 1982. In the same year, it was also nominated for a Young Artist Award and the Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film.[37]

text:
Year

Ceremony

Award

Result

1982

9th Saturn Awards[38]

Best Fantasy Film

Nominated

1982 Golden Screen Awards[37]

Won

5th Youth in Film Awards[37][39]

Best Motion Picture - Fantasy or Comedy - Family Enjoyment

Nominated

text: Legacy

text: As well as adaptations of the film itself, comic strips featuring the characters also appeared in stories unconnected to the film. Examples include The Lost Fawn, in which Copper uses his sense of smell to help Tod find a fawn who has gone astray;[40] The Chase, in which Copper must safeguard a sleepwalking Chief;[41] and Feathered Friends, in which the birds Dinky and Boomer have to go to desperate lengths to save one of Widow Tweed's chickens from a wolf.[42]

text: A comic adaptation of the film, drawn by Richard Moore, was published in newspapers as part of Disney's Treasury of Classic Tales.[43] A comic-book titled The Fox and the Hound followed, with new adventures of the characters. Since 1981 and up to 2007, a few Fox and the Hound Disney comics stories were produced in Italy, Netherlands, Brazil, France, and the United States.[44]

text: Followup

text: A direct-to-video followup, The Fox and the Hound 2, was released to DVD on December 12, 2006. The film takes place during the youth of Tod and Copper, before the events of the later half of the first film. The story-line involves Copper being tempted to join a band of singing stray dogs, thus threatening his friendship with Tod. The film was critically panned, with critics calling it a pale imitation of its predecessor.


document_title: Ontario Parks

question_text: what is the largest provincial park in ontario

root

text: Ontario Parks

text: History[edit]

text: The Ontario Parks system began its long and rough history in 1893 with the creation of Algonquin Park, originally designed to protect loggers' interests from settlement. The management and creation of provincial parks came under the Department of Lands and Forests in 1954 and led to a period of accelerated park creation: a ninefold increase in the number of parks over the next six years. In the 1970s the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources' (MNR) was formed. Currently, Ontario Parks does not have full agency status, but is a branch of the Natural Resource Management Division of the MNR.

tag: p

text: The history of Ontario's provincial parks stretches for over 100 years. Here are some of the milestones from the past century plus:[2]

text: 1893 – Algonquin Park is created as a public park and forest reservation, fish and game preserve, health resort and pleasure ground.

text: 1894 – Rondeau becomes Ontario's second provincial park.

text: 1913 – The Parks Act sets aside land not suitable for agriculture or settlement.

text: 1954 – Ontario still has only 8 provincial parks: Algonquin, Quetico, Long Point, Rondeau, Presqu'le, Ipperwash, Lake Superior and Sibley (now known as Sleeping Giant).

text: A Division of Parks is created within the Department of Lands and Forests. This heralds a new and aggressive program to create more parks, primarily on the Great Lake and northern tourism highways.

text: 1960 – There are now 72 provincial parks in Ontario, hosting over 5 million visitors annually.

text: 1967 – Ontario introduces a new policy that divides parks into specific categories, or classes, with compatible sets of uses.

text: 1970 – Polar Bear, Ontario's largest provincial park at 24,000 square kilometres, is created.

text: 1978 – Ontario Provincial Parks: Planning and Management Policies are approved by Cabinet giving Ontario one of the world's leading parks planning systems.

text: 1983 – The new land use planning system leads to the announcement of 155 new parks to be designated.

text: 1985 – There are now 220 parks in Ontario encompassing over 5.5 millions hectares of land.

text: 1993 – Ontario celebrates the centennial of the provincial parks system and Algonquin's 100th anniversary.

text: 1996 – The provincial parks system adopts a new entrepreneurial operating model where revenue generated by parks can be reinvested in the parks system. This is symbolized by a new name, Ontario Parks, and a new visual identity.

text: 1996 – Ontario Parks partners with the Natural Conservancy of Canada to create Legacy 2000, a program to protect significant natural areas. Under this agreement more than 11,000 hectares are secured.

text: 1999 – Ontario's Living Legacy is announced. This land use strategy identifies 378 new protected areas, including 61 new parks and 45 parks additions. Ontario's Living Legacy will protect over 2.4 million hectares of land, including additions to the provincial parks system of over 900,000 hectares.

text: 2001 – Ontario now has a total of 280 provincial parks encompassing 7.1 million hectares or almost 9 percent of the province's area. Over 9 million visitors annually enjoy Ontario Parks.

text: 2007 – Introduction of new legislation: "Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act" with 329 provincial parks and 292 conservation reserves.

text: Provincial park classes[edit]

text: Ontario Parks system uses a classification system to divide the provincial parks into the following categories:[3]

text:
Recreational Class Park "typically have good beaches, many campgrounds and lots of outdoor recreation opportunities. Most recreation parks provide services that may include toilets and showers, laundromats, interpretive programmes, playgrounds, boat launch facilities, hiking trails and picnic tables."
Cultural Heritage Class Park "emphasize the protection of historical and cultural resources, in an outdoor setting."
Natural Environment Class Park "protect the landscapes and special features of the natural region in which they are located, while providing ample opportunities for activities such as swimming and camping."
Nature Reserve Class Park "are established to represent and protect the distinctive natural habitats and landforms of the province. These areas are protected for educational and research purposes. Due to the fragility of many of these natural features, only a few nature reserves are accessible to the public."
Waterway Class Park "are river corridors that provide canoeists with high-quality recreation and historical river travel."
Wilderness Class Park "are large areas left to nature where visitors may travel on foot or by canoe. Offering little if any facilities for visitors, these areas provide the solitude of an undisturbed, natural setting."

tag: ul

text: The parks[edit]

text: As of 2008[update], Ontario Parks system manages 65 recreational class parks (394.8 km2), six cultural heritage class parks (67.4 km2), 80 natural environment class parks (14,675.3 km2), 109 nature reserve class parks (1,152 km2), 62 waterway class parks (14,446.2 km2), and 8 wilderness class parks (48,237.5 km2).


document_title: Women's National Basketball Association

question_text: how many games are in the wnba regular season

question_tokens: how many games are in the wnba regular season

text: Women's National Basketball Association

text: History[edit]

text: League founded and play begins (1996–97)[edit]

text: The creation of the WNBA was officially approved by the NBA Board of Governors on April 24, 1996,[2] and announced at a press conference with Rebecca Lobo, Lisa Leslie, and Sheryl Swoopes in attendance.[3] The new WNBA had to compete with the recently formed American Basketball League, another professional women's basketball league that began play in 1996.

text: The WNBA began with eight teams: the Charlotte Sting, Cleveland Rockers, Houston Comets and New York Liberty in the Eastern Conference; and the Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, Sacramento Monarchs and Utah Starzz in the Western Conference.[4]

text: While not the first major women's professional basketball league in the United States (a distinction held by the defunct WBL), the WNBA is the only league to receive full backing of the NBA.[5] The WNBA logo, "Logo Woman", paralleled the NBA logo and was selected out of 50 different designs.[4]

text: On the heels of a much-publicized gold medal run by the 1996 USA Basketball Women's National Team at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, the WNBA began its first season on June 21, 1997 to little fanfare. The first WNBA game featured the New York Liberty facing the Los Angeles Sparks in Los Angeles. The game was televised nationally in the United States on the NBC television network. At the start of the 1997 season, the WNBA had television deals in place with NBC (NBA rights holder), and the Walt Disney Company and Hearst Corporation joint venture channels, ESPN and Lifetime Television Network, respectively. Penny Toler scored the league's first point.[6][7]

text: Houston domination and league expansion (1997–2000)[edit]

text: The WNBA centered its marketing campaign, dubbed "We Got Next", around stars Rebecca Lobo, Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoopes.[8] In the league's first season, Leslie's Los Angeles Sparks underperformed and Swoopes sat out much of the season due to her pregnancy. The WNBA's true star in 1997 was WNBA MVP Cynthia Cooper, Swoopes' teammate on the Houston Comets. The Comets defeated Lobo's New York Liberty in the first WNBA Championship game. The initial "We Got Next" advertisement ran before each WNBA season until it was replaced with the "We Got Game" campaign.

text: Two teams were added in 1998 (Detroit and Washington)[9] and two more in 1999 (Orlando and Minnesota), bringing the number of teams in the league up to twelve.[10] The 1999 season began with a collective bargaining agreement between players and the league,[11] marking the first collective bargaining agreement to be signed in the history of women's professional sports.[citation needed] The WNBA also announced in 1999 that it would add four more team for the 2000 season (the Indiana Fever, the Seattle Storm, the Miami Sol, and the Portland Fire), bringing the league up to 16 teams, with WNBA President Val Ackerman discussing expansion: "This won't be the end of it. We expect to keep growing the league."[12]

text: In 1999, the league's chief competition, the American Basketball League, folded. Many of the ABL's star players, including several Olympic gold medalists (such as Nikki McCray and Dawn Staley) and a number of standout college performers (including Kate Starbird and Jennifer Rizzotti), then joined the rosters of WNBA teams and, in so doing, enhanced the overall quality of play in the league. When a lockout resulted in an abbreviated NBA season, the WNBA saw faltering TV viewership.

text: On May 23, 2000, the Houston Comets became the first WNBA team to be invited to the White House Rose Garden. Before this invitation, only men's sports teams had traveled to the White House.

text: At the end of the 2000 season, the Houston Comets won their fourth championship, capturing every title since the league's inception. Led by the "Big Three" of Sheryl Swoopes, Tina Thompson, and four-time Finals MVP Cynthia Cooper, the Comets dominated every team in the league. Under head coach Van Chancellor, the team posted a 98–24 record through their first four seasons (16–3 in the Playoffs). After 2000, Cooper retired from the league and the Comets dynasty came to an end.

text: The L.A. Sparks; new league ownership and contraction (2001–2002)[edit]

text: The top contender in the 2001 season was the Los Angeles Sparks. Led by Lisa Leslie, the Sparks posted a regular-season record of 28–4. They advanced to their first ever WNBA Finals and swept the Charlotte Sting.

text: Looking to repeat in 2002, the Sparks again made a strong run toward the postseason, going 25–7 in the regular season under head coach Michael Cooper, formerly of the Los Angeles Lakers. Again, Leslie dominated opponents throughout the Playoffs, leading the Sparks to a perfect 6–0 record through all three rounds, beating the New York Liberty in the 2002 Finals.

text: Teams and the league were collectively owned by the NBA until the end of 2002, when the NBA sold WNBA teams either to their NBA counterparts in the same city or to a third party, as a result of the dot-com bubble. This led to two teams moving: Utah moved to San Antonio, and Orlando moved to Connecticut and became the first WNBA team to be owned by a third party instead of an NBA franchise. This sale of teams also led to two teams folding, the Miami Sol and Portland Fire, because new owners could not be found.

text: Bill Laimbeer leaves his mark (2003–2006)[edit]

text: The WNBA Players Association threatened to strike in 2003 if a new deal was not worked out between players and the league. The result was a delay in the start of the 2003 preseason. The 2003 WNBA Draft was also delayed and negative publicity was gained from this strike.[13]

text: After taking over a struggling franchise in 2002, former Detroit Pistons forward Bill Laimbeer had high hopes for the Detroit Shock in 2003. The team was just 9–23 in 2002. The Shock had three all-stars in the 2003 All-Star Game (Swin Cash, Cheryl Ford, and Deanna Nolan). Laimbeer orchestrated a worst-to-first turnaround and the Shock finished the season 25–9 in first place in the Eastern Conference. Winning the first two rounds of the Playoffs, the Shock faced two-time champion Los Angeles Sparks and Lisa Leslie in the 2003 Finals. The Shock beat the Sparks, winning game three on a three-pointer by Deanna Nolan.

text: After the 2003 season, the Cleveland Rockers, one of the league's original eight teams, folded because the owners were unwilling to continue operating the franchise.

text: Val Ackerman, the first WNBA president, resigned effective February 1, 2005, citing the desire to spend more time with her family. Ackerman later became president of USA Basketball. On February 15, 2005, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced that Donna Orender, who had been serving as the Senior Vice President of the PGA Tour and who had played for several teams in the now-defunct Women's Pro Basketball League, would be Ackerman's successor as of April 2005.

text: The WNBA awarded a expansion team to Chicago (later named the Sky) in February 2006. In the off-season, a set of rule changes was approved that made the WNBA more like the NBA.[14]

text: In 2006, the league became the first team-oriented women's professional sports league to exist for ten consecutive seasons.[citation needed] On the occasion of the tenth anniversary, the WNBA released its All-Decade Team, comprising the ten WNBA players to have contributed, through on-court play and off-court activities, the most to women's basketball during the league's existence.

text: After missing out on the Finals in 2004 and 2005, the Shock bounced back in 2006 behind newly acquired Katie Smith, along with six remaining members from their 2003 Finals run (Cash, Ford, Holland-Corn, Nolan, Powell, and Riley). The Shock finished second in the Eastern Conference, and knocked off first-seeded Connecticut in the second round of the Playoffs. The Shock faced reigning champion Sacramento Monarchs in a five-game series. The Shock won game five on their home floor.

text: Bringing "Paul Ball" to the WNBA (2007–2009)[edit]

text: In December 2006, the Charlotte Bobcats organization announced it would no longer operate the Charlotte Sting. Soon after, the WNBA announced that the Sting would not operate for 2007. A dispersal draft was held January 8, 2007. Teams selected in inverse order of their 2006 records; Chicago received the first pick.

text: Former Los Angeles Lakers championship coach Paul Westhead was named head coach of the Phoenix Mercury on October 11, 2005, bringing his up-tempo style of play to the WNBA. This fast-paced offense was perfect for his team, especially after the league shortened the shot clock from 30 seconds to 24 seconds in 2006. Much like the early Houston Comets championship teams, the Phoenix Mercury had risen to prominence led by their own "Big Three" of Cappie Pondexter, Diana Taurasi, and Penny Taylor.

text: The Mercury were well-suited for fast offense behind these three players. Phoenix averaged a league-record 88.97 points per game in 2007; teams could not keep up with the new style of play, and the Mercury were propelled into first place in the Western Conference. Facing the reigning champion Detroit Shock, the Mercury imposed their high-scoring offense with hopes of capturing their first title in franchise history. Averaging 93.2 points per game in the Finals series, the Mercury beat Detroit on their home floor in front of 22,076 fans in game five to claim their first ever WNBA title.

text: In October 2007 the WNBA awarded another expansion franchise to Atlanta. Atlanta businessman Ron Terwilliger was the original owner of the new team. Citizens of Atlanta were able to vote for their choices for the new team's nickname and colors.[15] The Dream, as they were named, played their first regular season game on May 17, which was a 67–100 loss to the Connecticut Sun.

text: Paul Westhead resigned from the Mercury after capturing the 2007 title and Penny Taylor opted to stay home to prepare for the 2008 Summer Olympics, causing the Mercury to falter in 2008. The team posted a 16–18 record and became the first team in WNBA history to miss the Playoffs after winning the championship in the previous season. In their place, the Detroit Shock won their third championship under coach Bill Laimbeer, solidifying their place in WNBA history before Laimbeer resigned early in 2009, effectively ending the Shock dynasty.

text: During the 2008 regular season, the first ever outdoor professional basketball game in North America was played at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City.[citation needed][16] The Indiana Fever defeated the New York Liberty 71–55 in front of over 19,000 fans.

text: Late in 2008, the WNBA took over ownership of one of the league's original franchises, the Houston Comets. The Comets ceased operations on December 1, 2008 after no owners for the franchise could be found.[17] A dispersal draft took place on December 8, 2008 and with the first pick, Sancho Lyttle was taken by the Atlanta Dream.

text: After an unsatisfying conclusion in 2008, the Mercury looked to bounce back to championship caliber. New head coach Corey Gaines implemented Paul Westhead's style of play, and the Mercury averaged 92.82 points per game throughout the 2009 season. Helped by the return of Penny Taylor, the Mercury once again locked up first place in the Western Conference and advanced to the 2009 Finals. The championship series was a battle of contrasting styles as the Mercury (number one league offense, 92.82 points per game) had to face the Indiana Fever (number three league defense, 73.55 points per game). The series went five games, including arguably one of the most thrilling games in WNBA history in game one of the series (Phoenix won in overtime, 120–116. The Mercury beat the Fever in game five, this time on their home court, to capture their second WNBA championship.

text: Not only did Paul Westhead's system influence his Mercury team, but it created a domino effect throughout the league. Young athletic players were capable of scoring more and playing at a faster pace. As a league, the 2010 average of 80.35 points per game was the best ever, far surpassing the 69.2 average in the league's inaugural season.

text: Changing of the guard (2010–2012)[edit]

text: On October 20, 2009, the WNBA announced that the Detroit Shock would relocate to Tulsa, Oklahoma; the team is called the Tulsa Shock.[18] On November 20, 2009, the WNBA announced that the Sacramento Monarchs had folded due to lack of support from its current owners, the Maloof family, who were also the owners of the Sacramento Kings at the time. The league announced it would seek new owners to relocate the team to the San Francisco Bay area; however, no ownership was found and a dispersal draft was held on December 14, 2009.

text: The 2010 season saw a tight race in the East, with three teams being tied for first place on the final day of the regular season. Five of the six teams in the East were in first place at some point during the season. The East held a .681 winning percentage over the West, its highest ever. In the 2010 Finals, two new teams represented each conference: the Seattle Storm and the Atlanta Dream. Seattle made their first finals appearance since winning it all in 2004 and Atlanta, coming into the playoffs as a four seed, impressively swept its opponents in the first two rounds to advance to the Finals in only the third year of the team's existence.

text: After the 2010 season, President Orender announced she would be resigning from her position as of December 31. On April 21, 2011, NBA commissioner David Stern announced that former Girl Scouts of the USA Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Laurel J. Richie would assume duties as President on May 16, 2011.

text: The 2011 season began with strong publicity helped by the rising young stars of the league and the NBA lockout.[19] The 2011 NBA lockout began on July 1, 2011. Unlike the previous lockout, which affected the WNBA, president Laurel J. Richie confirmed that this lockout would have no effect on the WNBA. If the NBA season was shortened or canceled, the 2012 WNBA season (including the WNBA teams still owned by NBA owners) would run as planned. The lockout ended on November 26, and NBA teams would play a 66-game regular season following the lockout.

text: Many news outlets began covering the league more frequently. NBA TV, the television home of the NBA scheduled over 70 regular season games to be televised (along with a dozen more on ESPN2 and ABC). The new influx of young talent into the league gave many teams something to be excited about. Players like Candace Parker of the Sparks, Maya Moore of the Lynx, DeWanna Bonner of the Mercury, Angel McCoughtry of the Dream, Sylvia Fowles of the Sky, Tina Charles of the Sun, and Liz Cambage of the Shock brought a new level of excitement to the game, adding talent to the teams of young veterans such as Diana Taurasi, Seimone Augustus and Cappie Pondexter. The level of play was getting better, as evidenced by higher scoring, better defense, and higher shooting percentages. Fans responded to the new stars in the league; by the end of the 2011 regular season, nine of the twelve teams in the league had increased attendance over their 2010 averages.[20]

text: The new influx of talented young players showed that the league's longevity gave young girls something to aspire to. Rookies coming into the league had the luxury of growing up watching veterans like Cynthia Cooper, Lisa Leslie and Teresa Weatherspoon. For the first time ever, young girls could now look at the WNBA as an opportunity for basketball to continue after college.

text: The new players delivered in 2011. Connecticut Sun center Tina Charles set a league record for double-doubles in a season with 23. Also, Sylvia Fowles of the Chicago Sky became only the second player in WNBA history to finish a season averaging at least 20 points (20.0ppg) and 10 rebounds (10.2rpg) per game. The San Antonio Silver Stars experienced boosts from their young players as well; rookie Danielle Adams scored 32 points off the bench in June and fellow rookie Danielle Robinson had a 36-point game in September. Atlanta Dream forward Angel McCoughtry was the first player in league history to average over 20 points per game (21.6ppg) while playing under 30 minutes per game (27.9mpg).

text: McCoughtry led her team to the Finals for the second straight year, but despite breaking her own Finals scoring record, the Dream was swept for the second straight year, this time by the Minnesota Lynx, which won its first title behind a fully healthy Seimone Augustus.

text: 2012 featured a long Olympic break, but still saw the league grow. The Indiana Fever won the WNBA championship.

text: The Three to See (2013)[edit]

text: The much publicized 2013 WNBA Draft produced Baylor University star Brittney Griner, Delaware's Elena Delle Donne, and Notre Dame All American Skylar Diggins as the top three picks, the draft was the first to be televised in primetime on ESPN. Griner, Delle Donne, and Diggins were thus labelled "The Three To See", but with the draft also came standouts such as Tayler Hill, Layshia Clarendon and Alex Bentley. The retirement of legends Katie Smith, Tina Thompson, Ticha Penicheiro, and Sheryl Swoopes coupled with the arrival of highly touted rookies and new rule changes effectively marked the end of an era for the WNBA and the ushering of another.[citation needed]

text: On the court, the Minnesota Lynx won their second title in three years, defeating the Atlanta Dream in the Finals, and becoming the first team to sweep the playoff since the Seattle Storm.

text: The promotion of Griner, Delle Donne, and Diggins helped boost television ratings for the league by 28 percent, and half of teams ended the season profitable.[21][22] The improved health of the league was on display after the season, when the Los Angeles Sparks' ownership group folded; it took the league only a few weeks to line up Guggenheim Partners to purchase the team, and the franchise also garnered interest from the ownership of the Golden State Warriors.

text: Teams[edit]

text: The WNBA originated with 8 teams in 1997, and through a sequence of expansions, contractions, and relocations currently consists of 12 teams. There have been a total of 18 franchises in WNBA history.

text: As of the 2015 WNBA season, the Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury, and the San Antonio Stars (formerly Utah Starzz) are the only remaining franchises that were founded in 1997.

text:
Conference
Team
City
Arena
Capacity
Joined
Head coach

Eastern

Atlanta Dream
Atlanta, GA
McCamish Pavilion[note 1]
8,600
2008
Michael Cooper

Chicago Sky
Rosemont, IL
Allstate Arena
17,500
2006
Amber Stocks

Connecticut Sun
Uncasville, CT
Mohegan Sun Arena
9,323
1999*
Curt Miller

Indiana Fever
Indianapolis, IN
Bankers Life Fieldhouse
18,165
2000
Pokey Chatman

New York Liberty
New York City, NY
Madison Square Garden
19,812
1997
Bill Laimbeer

Washington Mystics
Washington, D.C.
Capital One Arena
20,356
1998
Mike Thibault

Western

Dallas Wings
Arlington, TX
College Park Center
7,000
1998*
Fred Williams

Los Angeles Sparks
Los Angeles, CA
Staples Center
18,997
1997
Brian Agler

Minnesota Lynx
Minneapolis, MN
Target Center[note 2]
19,356
1999
Cheryl Reeve

Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix, AZ
Talking Stick Resort Arena
18,055
1997
Sandy Brondello

San Antonio Stars
San Antonio, TX
AT&T Center
18,418
1997*
Vickie Johnson

Seattle Storm
Seattle, WA
KeyArena
15,354
2000
Jenny Boucek

An asterisk (*) denotes a franchise move. See the respective team articles for more information.

tag: table

text:
Jump up ^ Due to renovations to Philips Arena, the Dream will play their 2017 and 2018 home games at McCamish Pavilion on the campus of Georgia Tech.[23]
Jump up ^ Due to renovations to Target Center, the Lynx will play their 2017 home games at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.[24]

tag: ol

text: Relationship with NBA teams[edit]

text: Eight WNBA teams are associated with the NBA team from the same market and are known as sister teams. These teams include the Indiana Pacers and Fever, the Los Angeles Lakers and Sparks, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx, the New York Knicks and Liberty, the Phoenix Suns and Mercury, the Atlanta Hawks and the Dream, the San Antonio Spurs and the Stars, and the Washington Wizards and Mystics. Of these teams, only the Dream and the Sparks are owned separately.

text: Three WNBA teams are in the same market as an NBA team but are not affiliated. Though located in the same market, the Chicago Sky are not affiliated with the Bulls, as evidenced by their differing home arenas; the Sky play at Allstate Arena in nearby Rosemont, as opposed to the Bulls playing at United Center. The Dallas Wings, which had been the Tulsa Shock before moving to the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex after the 2015 season, are not affiliated with the existing NBA team in the Metroplex, the Dallas Mavericks. As with the Sky and Bulls, the Wings and Mavericks play in different arenas, with the Wings playing at College Park Center in Arlington as opposed to the Mavericks playing just outside downtown Dallas at American Airlines Center.

text: The remaining WNBA team, the Seattle Storm, was formerly the sister team of the now relocated SuperSonics but was sold to a Seattle-based group before the SuperSonics moved and become the Oklahoma City Thunder.

text: The now defunct Utah Starzz, Charlotte Sting, Miami Sol, Portland Fire, Cleveland Rockers, Orlando Miracle, Houston Comets and Sacramento Monarchs were also sister teams of the Jazz, Hornets, Heat, Trail Blazers, Cavaliers, Magic, Rockets and Kings, respectively. The Detroit Shock was the sister team of the Pistons until the teams' owner sold the Shock to investors who moved the team to Tulsa, Oklahoma. During its tenure in Tulsa, it was not affiliated with Oklahoma's NBA team, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

text: The Liberty, Sparks, and Wings are the only teams that share a market with an NBA G League team; the Liberty share the New York City market with Long Island Nets and the Westchester Knicks, the Sparks share the Los Angeles market with the South Bay Lakers, and the Wings share the Dallas market with the Texas Legends. In addition, four teams are located within 150 miles of WNBA teams (the Delaware 87ers, Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Austin Spurs, and Northern Arizona Suns being near the Mystic, Fever, Stars, and Mercury, respectively).

text: The Sparks will be joined by the Agua Caliente Clippers in 2017–18, the Mystics will be joined by a new team in 2018–19, and the Dream will be joined by the Erie BayHawks in 2019–20. The Shock shared the Tulsa market with the Tulsa 66ers until the latter team was relocated to become the Oklahoma City Blue in 2014.

text: Membership timeline[edit]

text:
WNBA expansion
and contraction

Season(s)
# Teams

1997
8

1998
10

1999
12

2000–2002
16

2003
14

2004–2005
13

2006
14

2007
13

2008
14

2009
13

2010–present
12

text: Relocated teams[edit]

text:
Detroit Shock – 1998–2009 (relocated to Tulsa)
Orlando Miracle – 1999–2002 (relocated to Uncasville, Connecticut)
Utah Starzz – 1997–2002 (relocated to San Antonio)
Tulsa Shock – 2010–2015 (relocated to Arlington, Texas)

text: Folded teams[edit]

text:
Charlotte Sting – 1997–2007
Cleveland Rockers – 1997–2003
Houston Comets – 1997–2008
Miami Sol – 2000–2002
Portland Fire – 2000–2002
Sacramento Monarchs – 1997–2009

text: Season format[edit]

text: Regular season[edit]

text: Teams hold training camps in May. Training camps allow the coaching staff to prepare the players for the regular season, and determine the 12-woman roster with which they will begin the regular season. After training camp, a series of preseason exhibition games are held.

text: The WNBA regular season begins in May. During the regular season, each team plays 34 games, 17 each home and away. Each team plays one in-conference team 4 times and the remaining in-conference teams 3 times each (12 games). Each team then plays the six out-of-conference teams 3 times (18 games). As in the NBA, each team hosts and visits every other team at least once every season.

text: WNBA All-Star Game[edit]

text: In 1999 the league held its first ever All Star Game where the best players of the Eastern Conference played against the best players of the Western Conference. Since the All Star games were ongoing, the west has been dominant until 2006 the east finally won a game.

text: In July, the regular season pauses to celebrate the annual WNBA All-Star Game. The game is part of a weekend-long event, held in a selected WNBA city each year. The actual game is played on the selected WNBA team's home court. The All-Star Game features star players from the Western Conference facing star players from the Eastern Conference. During the season, fans vote for the players they would like to see start the game. In 2004, The Game at Radio City was in held in place of a traditional All-Star Game. The 2006 All-Star Game was the first game to feature custom uniforms that match the decade anniversary logo. No WNBA All-Star Game is held in every Olympic year since 2008. In 2010, an exhibition game (Stars at the Sun) was held.

text: Shortly after the All-Star break is the trading deadline. After this date, teams are not allowed to exchange players with each other for the remainder of the season, although they may still sign and release players. Major trades are often completed right before the trading deadline.

text: During years in which the Summer Olympics are held, the WNBA takes a month off in the middle of the season to allow players to practice and compete with their respective national teams.

text: WNBA Playoffs[edit]

text: The WNBA Playoffs begin in late September, with eight teams qualifying for the playoffs. Having a higher seed offers several advantages. Since the first two seeds get double byes, and the next two seeds get first-round byes, having a higher seed generally means one will be facing a weaker team. The team in each series with the better record has home court advantage. Since 2016 Verizon is the official sponsor.

text: The first two playoff rounds follow a tournament format with each team playing a rival in a single elimination game, whichever team that wins, advances into the next round, while losers are eliminated from the playoffs. For the first round, the matchups by seed are 5th vs 8th and 6th vs 7th. In the second round, the matchups by seed are 3rd vs the lowest remaining seed and 4th vs the highest remaining seed. In the semifinals, the matchups by seed are 1st vs the lowest remaining seed and 2nd vs the highest remaining seed. This leaves two teams left to play each other in the WNBA Finals. In the first and second rounds, is a single elimination game. In the semifinals, the best-of-five series follows a 2–2–1 home-court pattern, meaning that the higher-seeded team will have home court in games 1, 2, and 5 while the other team plays at home in game 3 and 4. This pattern has been in place since 2016 (changed from the best-of-three series 1–1–1 format for four teams in each conferences, where the higher seed hosted the opening game in the first two rounds).

text: WNBA Finals[edit]

text: The final playoff round, a best-of-five series between the victors of each conference, is known as the WNBA Finals, and is held annually, currently scheduled for October. Each player on the winning team receives a championship ring. In addition, the league awards a WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award. For this round, the series follows a 2–2–1 pattern, meaning that one team will have home court in games 1, 2, and 5, while the other plays at home in games 3 and 4. The 2–2–1 pattern in the WNBA Finals has been in place since 2005.

text:
The WNBA Finals

1990s[show]

Season
Champion
Runner-Up
Format
Result
Finals MVP

Team
Coach
Team
Coach

1997
Houston Comets
Van Chancellor
New York Liberty
Nancy Darsch
Single game
65–51
Cynthia Cooper

1998
Houston Comets
Phoenix Mercury
Cheryl Miller
Best-of-three
2–1

1999
Houston Comets
New York Liberty
Richie Adubato

2000s[show]

Season
Champion
Runner-Up
Format
Result
Finals MVP

Team
Coach
Team
Coach

2000
Houston Comets
Van Chancellor
New York Liberty
Richie Adubato
Best-of-three
2–0
Cynthia Cooper

2001
Los Angeles Sparks
Michael Cooper
Charlotte Sting
Anne Donovan
Lisa Leslie

2002
Los Angeles Sparks
New York Liberty
Richie Adubato

2003
Detroit Shock
Bill Laimbeer
Los Angeles Sparks
Michael Cooper
2–1
Ruth Riley

2004
Seattle Storm
Anne Donovan
Connecticut Sun
Mike Thibault
Betty Lennox

2005
Sacramento Monarchs
John Whisenant
Connecticut Sun
Mike Thibault
Best-of-five
3–1
Yolanda Griffith

2006
Detroit Shock
Bill Laimbeer
Sacramento Monarchs
John Whisenant
3–2
Deanna Nolan

2007
Phoenix Mercury
Paul Westhead
Detroit Shock
Bill Laimbeer
Cappie Pondexter

2008
Detroit Shock
Bill Laimbeer
San Antonio Silver Stars
Dan Hughes
3–0
Katie Smith

2009
Phoenix Mercury
Corey Gaines
Indiana Fever
Lin Dunn
3–2
Diana Taurasi

2010s[hide]

Season
Champion
Runner-Up
Format
Result
Finals MVP

Team
Coach
Team
Coach

2010
Seattle Storm
Brian Agler
Atlanta Dream
Marynell Meadors
Best-of-five
3–0
Lauren Jackson

2011
Minnesota Lynx
Cheryl Reeve
Seimone Augustus

2012
Indiana Fever
Lin Dunn
Minnesota Lynx
Cheryl Reeve
3–1
Tamika Catchings

2013
Minnesota Lynx
Cheryl Reeve
Atlanta Dream
Fred Williams
3–0
Maya Moore

2014
Phoenix Mercury
Sandy Brondello
Chicago Sky
Pokey Chatman
Diana Taurasi

2015
Minnesota Lynx
Cheryl Reeve
Indiana Fever
Stephanie White
3–2
Sylvia Fowles

2016
Los Angeles Sparks
Brian Agler
Minnesota Lynx
Cheryl Reeve
Candace Parker

2017

text: League championships[edit]

text: The Houston Comets holds the distinction of having won the most championships with 4 titles despite folding in 2008.

text:
Teams
Win
Loss
Total
Year(s) won
Year(s) lost

Houston Comets (folded in 2008)
4
0
4
1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
-

Minnesota Lynx
3
2
5
2011, 2013, 2015
2012, 2016

Los Angeles Sparks
3
1
4
2001, 2002, 2016
2003

Phoenix Mercury
3
1
4
2007, 2009, 2014
1998

Detroit Shock (now the Dallas Wings)
3
1
4
2003, 2006, 2008
2007

Seattle Storm
2
0
2
2004, 2010
-

Indiana Fever
1
2
3
2012
2009, 2015

Sacramento Monarchs (folded in 2009)
1
1
2
2005
2006

New York Liberty
0
4
4
-
1997, 1999, 2000, 2002

Atlanta Dream
0
3
3
-
2010, 2011, 2013

Connecticut Sun
0
2
2
-
2004, 2005

Chicago Sky
0
1
1
-
2014

San Antonio Stars
0
1
1
-
2008

Charlotte Sting (folded in 2007)
0
1
1
-
2001

text: Current teams that have no WNBA Finals appearances:

text: Washington Mystics

text: Former teams that have no WNBA Finals appearances:

text:
Cleveland Rockers (1997-2003)
Miami Sol (2000-2002)
Portland Fire (2000-2002)

text: Players and coaches[edit]

text: In 2011, a decade and a half after the launch of the WNBA, only two players remained from the league's inaugural season in 1997: Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson. Thompson holds the record for the number of years in the league (fifteen). Lisa Leslie was the longest-tenured player from the 1997 draft class; she spent her entire career (1997–2009) with the Los Angeles Sparks. Tangela Smith has played the most games in her career (415).

text: The members of the WNBA's All-Decade Team were chosen in 2006 on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the WNBA from amongst 30 nominees compiled by fan, media, coach, and player voting. The team was to comprise the 10 best and most influential players of the first decade of the WNBA, with consideration also given to sportsmanship, community service, leadership, and contribution to the growth of women's basketball.

text: Players for the WNBA's Top 15 Team were chosen in 2011 on the anniversary of the league's fifteenth season from amongst 30 nominees compiled in a similar manner to that of the All-Decade Team process.

text: Over 30 players have scored more than 3,000 points or more in their WNBA careers. Only six WNBA players have reached the 6,000 point milestone: Tina Thompson, Diana Taurasi, Tamika Catchings, Katie Smith, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson.

text: In 2007, Paul Westhead of the Phoenix Mercury became the first person to earn both NBA and WNBA championship rings as a coach.

text: In 2008, 50-year-old Nancy Lieberman became the oldest player to play in a WNBA game. She signed a seven-day contract with the Detroit Shock and played one game, tallying two assists and two turnovers in nine minutes of action. By playing in the one game Lieberman broke a record that she herself had set in 1997, when she was the league's oldest player at 39.

text: Ticha Penicheiro (Portugal) provided 2,599 assists in 454 games playing for the Sacramento Monarchs, Los Angeles Sparks and Chicago Sky since 1998. she also holds the record for most assists per game, with 5.7.[25]

text: Milestones[edit]

text:
WNBA Milestones

Milestone
Player
Team
Date
Information

First player signed
Sheryl Swoopes
Houston Comets
October 23, 1996
Signed by the WNBA and assigned to Houston.

First points scored
Penny Toler
Los Angeles Sparks
June 21, 1997
Scored the first points on a baseline jump-shot.

First triple double
Sheryl Swoopes
Houston Comets
July 27, 1998
14 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists

First goaltending call
Sylvia Fowles
Chicago Sky
June 3, 2008
Trying to block a layup by Lisa Leslie.

First slam dunk
Lisa Leslie
Los Angeles Sparks
July 30, 2002
Dunked on a fast break against Miami.

Most career points
Diana Taurasi
Phoenix Mercury
2004–2014, 2016–present
7,494 points

Most career rebounds
Tamika Catchings
Indiana Fever
2002–2016
3,316 rebounds

Most career assists
Sue Bird
Seattle Storm
2002-present
2,611 assists

Most 3-pointers
Diana Taurasi
Phoenix Mercury
2004–2014, 2016–present
927 3-pointers

Most points in a game
Riquna Williams
Tulsa Shock
September 8, 2013
51 points

Most rebounds in a game
Chamique Holdsclaw
Washington Mystics
May 23, 2003
24 rebounds

Most assists in a game
Ticha Penicheiro
Sacramento Monarchs
July 29, 1998
16 assists

Most career wins for a coach
Mike Thibault
Conn. Sun / Wash. Mystics[26]
2003–present
239 wins

Most team points in one game
N/A
Phoenix Mercury
July 24, 2010
127 points in double overtime against Minnesota

Largest margin of victory
N/A
Seattle Storm
August 7, 2010
46-point win (111–65) over Tulsa

Largest attendance for one game
N/A
Detroit Shock
September 16, 2007
22,076 in game 5 of 2007 Finals

text: Awards[edit]

text: Around the beginning of September, the regular season ends. It is during this time that voting begins for individual awards. The Sixth Woman of the Year Award is given to the best player coming off the bench (must have more games coming off the bench than actual games started).[27] The Rookie of the Year Award is awarded to the most outstanding first-year player. The Most Improved Player Award is awarded to the player who is deemed to have shown the most improvement from the previous season. The Defensive Player of the Year Award is awarded to the league's best defender. The Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award is awarded to the player who shows the outstanding sportsmanship on and off the court. The Coach of the Year Award is awarded to the coach that has made the most positive difference to a team. The Most Valuable Player Award is given to player deemed the most valuable for (her team) that season.

text: Also named are the All-WNBA Teams, the All-Defensive Teams, and the All-Rookie Team; each consists of five players. There are two All-WNBA teams, consisting of the top players at each position, with first-team status being the most desirable. There are two All-Defensive teams, consisting of the top defenders at each position. There is one All-Rookie team, consisting of the top first-year players regardless of position.

text: Most recent award winners[edit]

text: Winners are from the most recent season unless otherwise indicated.

text:
Award
Winner
Position
Team
Votes/Statistic

Most Valuable Player Award
Nneka Ogwumike
Forward
Los Angeles Sparks
31 out of 39

Finals MVP Award
Candace Parker
Center
Los Angeles Sparks

Rookie of the Year Award
Breanna Stewart
Forward
Seattle Storm
38 out of 39

Most Improved Player Award
Elizabeth Williams
Center
Atlanta Dream
14 out of 39

Defensive Player of the Year Award
Sylvia Fowles
Center
Minnesota Lynx
19 out of 39

Sixth Woman of the Year Award
Jantel Lavender
Center
Los Angeles Sparks
26 out of 39

Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award
Tamika Catchings
Forward
Indiana Fever
29 out of 39

Peak Performer: Points
Tina Charles
Center
New York Liberty
21.5 PPG

Peak Performer: Rebounds
Tina Charles
Center
New York Liberty
9.9 RPG

Peak Performer: Assists
Sue Bird
Guard
Seattle Storm
5.8 APG

Coach of the Year Award
Cheryl Reeve
Coach
Minnesota Lynx
17 out of 39

text: Notable international players[edit]

text: A number of international players that have played in the WNBA have earned multiple all-stars or won MVP awards:

text:
Elena Baranova, Russia – the first international player in the WNBA (1997), one-time All-Star (2001).
 Lauren Jackson, Australia – two-time champion (2004, 2010), three-time MVP and eight-time All-Star
 Ticha Penicheiro, Portugal – won a championship with the Monarchs in 2005 and four-time All-Star
 Penny Taylor, Australia – three-time champion (2007, 2009, 2014) and four-time All-Star
 Tammy Sutton-Brown, Canada – two-time All-Star
 Sophia Young, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – four-time All-Star

text: Some of these players, among them Penicheiro, Sutton-Brown, and Young, played U.S. college basketball.

text: Rules and regulations[edit]

text: Rules are governed by standard basketball rules as defined by the NBA, with a few notable exceptions:

text:
The three-point line is 22 feet 1.75 inches (6.7501 m) from the middle of the basket, 21 feet 8 inches (6.60 m) at the corners. This is the same distance used under new FIBA rules; FIBA had increased its three-point distance to 22 feet 1.75 inches (6.7501 m) since October 1, 2012 (for domestic competitions).
The regulation WNBA ball is a minimum 28.5 inches (72 cm) in circumference and weighs 20.0 ounces (570 g), 1 inch (2.5 cm) smaller and 2 ounces (57 g) lighter than the NBA ball. Since 2004, this size has been used for all senior-level women's competitions throughout the world in full-court basketball. Competitions in the half-court 3x3 variant used the women's ball until 2015, when a dedicated ball with the circumference of the women's ball but the weight of the men's ball was introduced.
Quarters are 10 minutes in duration instead of 12.

text: Games are divided into four 10-minute quarters as opposed to the league's original two 20-minute halves of play, similar to FIBA and NCAA women's college rules (many WNBA players play in European, Chinese, or Australian leagues, which all use the FIBA rule set).

text: A recent trend with new WNBA rules has been to match them with a similar NBA rule. Beginning with the 2006 WNBA season:[28]

text:
The winner of the opening jump ball shall begin the 4th quarter with the ball out of bounds. The loser shall begin with the ball out of bounds in the second and third quarter. Previously under the two-half format, both periods started with jump balls, presumably to eliminate the possibility of a team purposely losing the opening tip in order to gain the opening possession of the second half. This is not a problem under the four-quarters because the winner of the opening tip gets the opening possession of the final period.
The shot clock was decreased from 30 to 24 seconds. The rule changes signaled a move away from rules more similar to those of college basketball and toward those that provide a more NBA-like game. FIBA also uses a 24-second clock.

text: The 2007 WNBA season brought changes that included:[29]

text:
The amount of time that a team must move the ball across the half-court line went from 10 to 8 seconds.
A referee can grant time-outs to either a player or the coach.
Two free throws and possession of the ball for clear-path-to-the-basket foul. Previously only one free throw was awarded as well as possession.

text: In 2012, the WNBA added the block/charge arc under the basket. As of 2013 the defensive three-second rule and anti-flopping guidelines were introduced. The three-point line was also extended.

text: Starting in 2017, Tissot will be the official timekeeper for the league, as it will use a unified game clock/shot clock system.

text: Court dimensions[edit]

text:
WNBA Court Dimensions

Area
Imperial
Metric

Length of court (baseline to baseline)
94 ft
28.65 m

Width of court (sideline to sideline)
50 ft
15.24 m

Rim height (floor to rim)
10 ft
3.05 m

Center circle diameter
12 ft
3.66 m

Three-point line distance from center of basket
22 ft 1.75 in
6.75 m

3-point line distance from center of basket (corners)
21 ft 8 in
6.6 m

Shaded area/Lane/Key length
19 ft
5.8 m

Shaded area/Lane/Key width
16 ft
4.88 m

Restricted area (aka "block/charge arc")
(distance from center of basket)
4 ft
1.22 m

Free-throw line (distance from backboard)
15 ft
4.57 m

Free-throw half-circle radius
6 ft
1.83 m

Backboard width (side to side)
6 ft
1.83 m

Coaching box width (from baseline)
28 ft
8.54 m

*All dimensions are in line with NBA regulations except the three-point arc.

text: Business[edit]

text: Finance[edit]

text: The WNBA did not start out able to support itself. During the mid-2000s, the NBA spent more than $10 million per year to keep the WNBA financially solvent.[30] In 2007, teams were estimated to be losing $1.5 million to $2 million a year.[31]

text: The league has begun to do better financially in recent years. In December 2010 Donna Orender said that the league had its first-ever "cash flow positive" team (Connecticut Sun) for the 2010 season.[32] In 2011, three teams were profitable, and in 2013, six of the league's 12 teams reported a profit.[33] The league has also signed extended television contracts with ESPN and sponsorship agreements with Boost Mobile.

text: Sponsorships[edit]

text: On June 1, 2009, the Phoenix Mercury was the first team in WNBA history to announce a marquee sponsorship. The team secured a partnership with LifeLock to brand their jerseys and warm-ups.[34] It was the first branded jersey in WNBA history. Following the expiration of the LifeLock deal, the Mercury secured a new uniform sponsorship deal with Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort on February 3, 2014.[35]

text: Other teams eventually followed in the Mercury's footsteps to bring the total to nine current teams with sponsorship deals:

text:
Indiana Fever – Finish Line, Inc.
Minnesota Lynx – Mayo Clinic
San Antonio Stars – H-E-B
Chicago Sky – Magellan Corporation
Los Angeles Sparks – EquiTrust Life Insurance; team was formerly sponsored by Farmers Insurance
New York Liberty – DraftKings; team was formerly sponsored by Foxwoods Casino
Connecticut Sun – Frontier Communications
Seattle Storm – Swedish Medical Center; team was formerly sponsored by Bing

text: The now-relocated Tulsa Shock (Osage Casino) and currently active Washington Mystics (Inova Health System) had jersey sponsorships at one time.

text: On August 22, 2011, the WNBA announced a league-wide marquee sponsorship with Boost Mobile.[36] The deal would allow the Boost Mobile logo to be placed on eleven of the 12 teams' jerseys (excluding San Antonio) in addition to branding on the courts and in arenas. A source said the deal is a "multiyear, eight-figure deal."[37]

text: On March 14, 2016, the WNBA was completing a deal with Verizon Wireless to place them on 10 of the 12 team jerseys. The deal includes a space on the front of 10 jerseys, excluding the Stars and Sun, in-arena advertising, and reserved commercial space during WNBA broadcasts. The deal also includes the sponsorship of the All-Star Game, Inspiring Women Luncheon, and other unspecified events, The deal will not include the Monthly and Yearly Awards.[38]

text: On March 28, the league introduced new uniforms, with the new Verizon sponsor, which eliminated white jerseys and made the secondary color a basis for a uniform. The jersey font will remain unchanged as well as the primary color used for the away uniform. Teams can use either jersey for home and away games. Pictures of the jerseys can be seen on the WNBA website, although the Storm and Wings have not released their jerseys yet.

text: In 2009, the Phoenix Mercury became the first American professional basketball team to feature advertisements on their uniform when they sold an ad to LifeLock Insurance on the front of their jerseys, leading many people to wonder if ads on NBA uniforms were coming soon. Since then several other WNBA teams have followed suit. The NBA announced in the summer of 2016 that they will begin to feature advertisements on jerseys, with the first team to do so being the Philadelphia 76ers (with a StubHub sticker now on their jerseys). Before the start of the 2011 season, every team announced a new look for their uniforms. The supplier of the uniforms for the league, Adidas, upgraded all teams to new high-tech designs, much like they did for the NBA prior to the start of their season.

text: Sponsorships have come from major companies such as; Boost Mobile and Farmers Insurance. Pepsi and Nike have also partnered up with the WNBA.

text: Salaries, rosters, and collective bargaining[edit]

text: Prior to the 2009 season, the maximum team roster size was changed from 13 players (11 active and 2 inactive) to 11 players (all active). Any team that falls below nine players able to play due to injury or any other factor outside of the control of the team will, upon request, be granted a roster hardship exception allowing the team to sign an additional player or players so that the team will have nine players able to play in an upcoming game or games. As soon as the injured (or otherwise sidelined) player(s) is able to play, the roster hardship player(s)—not any other player on the roster—must be waived. In March 2014, the WNBA and players signed a new, 8-year collective bargaining agreement, increasing the number of players on a roster to 12.[39]

text: The WNBA Draft is held annually every spring. The draft is three rounds long with each of the 12 teams in the league (trades aside) getting three picks each. The draft order for the eight teams that made the playoffs the previous year are based on team records, and the team with the highest previous record will pick last. For the remaining top four picks, a selection process similar to the NBA Draft Lottery is conducted for the four teams that did not qualify for the playoffs.

text: In 2008, a new six-year collective bargaining agreement was agreed upon between the players and the league. The salary cap for an entire team in 2010 is $827,000 (although it was later lowered to $775,000). By 2013 (the sixth year under this agreement), the cap for an entire team will be $900,000. In 2010, the minimum salary for a player with three-plus years of experience is $51,000 while the maximum salary for a six-plus year player is $101,500 (the first time in league history that players are able to receive over $100,000). The minimum salary for rookies is $35,190.[40][41] Many WNBA players supplement their salaries by playing in European, Australian, or more recently Chinese women's basketball leagues during the WNBA off-season. The WNBA has been criticized for paying female players less than their NBA counterparts.[42]

text: The decision of superstar Diana Taurasi to sit out the 2015 WNBA season was seen by some in the media as a harbinger of salary-related troubles in the future. The Russian club for which she was playing at the time, UMMC Ekaterinburg, offered her a bonus well in excess of the league's salary cap to sit out that season. Taurasi accepted largely because she had not had an offseason since she was playing college basketball more than a decade earlier. Such offers have often been made to star American players, including Taurasi herself, but none were accepted until Taurasi did so in 2015.[43]

text: WNBA players are awarded bonuses for certain achievements. Some of the bonuses given by the league (amount is per player) include: WNBA champion: $10,500; Runner-up: $5,250; Most valuable player: $15,000; All-WNBA First Team member: $10,000; All-Star Game participant: $2,500.[44]

text: Merchandise[edit]

text: The following shows the top jersey sales since the start of the 2017 season.

text:
Jersey Sales

Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Player
Elena Delle Donne
Breanna Stewart
Diana Taurasi
Maya Moore
Sue Bird
Candace Parker
Skylar Diggins-Smith
Brittney Griner
Moriah Jefferson
Nneka Ogwumike

Team
Washington
Seattle
Phoenix
Minnesota
Seattle
Sparks
Dallas
Phoenix
San Antonio
Sparks

text: The following shows the top teams sales since the start of the 2017 season.

text:
Team Sales

Rank
1
2
3
4
5

Team
Minnesota
Washington
Seattle
Phoenix
Los Angeles

text: WNBA Presidents[edit]

text:
Val Ackerman, 1997–2005
Donna Orender, 2005–2010
Laurel J. Richie, 2011–2015
Lisa Borders, 2016–present

text: Attendance[edit]

text: In 2012, however, average attendance per game dropped from 7,955 to 7,457 (-6.3%). Attendance per game stayed consistent at around 7,520 per game. However, in 2015 the WNBA’s attendance per game decreased by 3.4 percent to 7,318. This is a record low for the WNBA since it was created in 1997. Many teams have experienced drops within their attendance; (San Antonio Stars: -37.4%, Washington Mystics: -7.9%, Tulsa Shock: -7.2%)[45] these losses have caused the attendance of the WNBA to drop.

text: President Laurel Richie stated that after the 2015 season ends they will create an expansion committee and begin evaluating if and how the WNBA should go about expanding their reach.

text:
Attendance

1990s[show]

Year
Team

CHA
CLE
DET
HOU
LA
MIN
NY

1997
8,307
7,971

9,814
8,937

13,270

1998
8,561
10,350
10,229
12,602
7,653

14,935

1999
7,080
9,350
8,485
11,906
7,625
10,494
14,047

Year
Team
League

ORL
PHX
SAC
UTA
WAS
Regular season
Postseason

1997

13,703
7,858
7,611

9,684
14,849

1998

13,764
6,578
8,104
15,910
10,869
11,964

1999
9,801
12,219
8,626
7,544
15,306
10,207
12,647

2000s[show]

Year
Team

ATL
CHA
CHI
CLE
CON
DET
HOU
IND
LA
MIA
MIN

2000

5,685

8,596

6,716
12,255
12,267
6,563
7,983
7,290

2001

6,595

9,211

6,834
11,320
8,683
9,278
8,840
7,538

2002

6,667

9,318

5,686
10,866
8,434
11,651
8,828
7,819

2003

7,062

7,400
6,023
7,862
8,835
8,340
9,290

7,074

2004

6,846

6,707
9,462
8,086
7,588
10,428

7,359

2005

5,768

7,173
9,374
7,099
8,382
8,854

6,673

2006

5,941
3,390

7,417
9,380
7,682
7,222
8,311

6,442

2007

3,915

7,970
9,749
8,166
7,032
8,695

7,119

2008
8,316

3,656

7,644
9,569
6,585
7,702
9,508

6,968

2009
7,102

3,932

6,794
8,004

7,939
10,387

7,537

Year
Team
League

NY
ORL
PHX
POR
SAC
SA
SEA
UTA
WAS
Regular season
Postseason

2000
14,498
7,363
10,130
8,317
7,928

8,912
6,420
15,258
9,074
12,222

2001
15,671
7,430
8,558
8,604
8,350

5,954
6,907
15,417
9,074
11,430

2002
14,670
7,115
8,737
8,041
9,011

6,989
7,420
16,202
9,228
11,537

2003
12,123

8,501

9,125
10,384
7,109

14,042
8,800
9,205

2004
9,886

8,017

8,679
8,395
7,899

12,615
8,613
9,490

2005
10,140

7,303

8,542
7,944
8,891

10,088
8,172
8,397

2006
9,120

7,459

8,691
7,397
8,568

7,839
7,490
8,397

2007
8,698

7,737

8,387
7,569
7,974

7,788
7,819
10,312

2008
9,045

8,522

8,180
7,984
8,265

9,096
7,948
8,420

2009
9,800

8,523

7,744
7,527
7,874

11,338
8,039
9,979

LA moved from The Forum to Staples Center prior to the 2001 season.
HOU moved from Compaq Center to Toyota Center prior to the 2003 season.
NY played six games at Radio City Music Hall in 2004.
HOU moved from Toyota Center to Reliant Arena prior to the 2008 season.

2010s[hide]

Year
Team

ATL
CHI
CON
DAL
IND
LA
MIN
NY

2010
6,293
4,293
7,486

8,265
9,468
7,622
11,069

2011
6,487
5,536
7,056

8,054
10,316
8,447
7,702

2012
5,453
5,573
7,266

7,582
10,089
9,683
6,779

2013
5,853
6,601
6,548

8,164
9,869
9,381
7,189

2014
5,864
6,685
5,980

7,900
8,288
9,333
8,949

2015[46]
6,122
6,894
5,557

7,485
9,065
9,364
9,159

2016
5,614
7,009
5,837
5,298
8,575
9,638
9,266
9,724

Year
Team
League

PHX
SA
SEA
TUL
WAS
Regular season
Postseason

2010
8,982
8,041
8,322
4,812
9,357
7,834
10,822

2011
9,167
8,751
8,659
4,828
10,449
7,954
9,232

2012
7,814
7,850
7,486
5,203
8,639
7,452
9,195

2013
8,557
7,914
6,981
5,474
7,838
7,531
7,574

2014
9,557
7,719
6,717
5,566
8,377
7,578[47]
8,200

2015[46]
9,946
4,831
6,516
5,167
7,714
7,318[48]
8,799

2016
10,351
6,385
7,230
—
6,929
7,655[49]
8,719

CHI moved from UIC Pavilion to Allstate Arena prior to the 2010 season.
NY moved temporarily from Madison Square Garden to Prudential Center from 2011 through 2013.
SA moved temporarily from AT&T Center to Freeman Coliseum for the 2015 season.
TUL moved from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Arlington, Texas prior to the 2016 season and became the Dallas Wings.

text: Media coverage[edit]

text: Currently, WNBA games are televised throughout the U.S. by ABC, ESPN2 and NBA TV.

text: In the early years, two women's-oriented networks, Lifetime and Oxygen, also broadcast games including the first game of the WNBA. NBC showed games from 1997 to 2002 as part of their NBA on NBC coverage before the league transferred the rights to ABC/ESPN.

text: In 2007, the WNBA and ESPN came to an 8-year television agreement. The agreement would be the first to pay television rights fees to the league's teams. Never before has an agreement promised rights fees to a women's professional league. The agreement runs from 2009 to 2016 and is worth millions of dollars.[50]

text: In June 2007, the WNBA signed a contract extension with ESPN. The new television deal runs from 2009 to 2016. A minimum of 18 games will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 each season; the rights to broadcast the first regular season game and the All-Star game are held by ABC. Additionally, a minimum of 11 postseason games will be broadcast on any of the three stations.[51] Along with this deal, came the first ever rights fees to be paid to a women's professional sports league. Over the eight years of the contract, "millions and millions of dollars" will be "dispersed to the league's teams."[50]

text: In 2013 the WNBA and ESPN signed a six-year extension on the broadcast deal to cover 2017–2022. In the new deal, a total of 30 games would be shown each season on ESPN networks. Each team would receive around $1 million per year.[52]

text: Some teams offer games on local radio, while all teams have some games broadcast on local television stations:

text:
Atlanta – Fox Sports South (FS-S), Fox Sports Southeast (FS-SE)
Chicago – WCIU, The U Too
Connecticut – WCCT, WTIC
Dallas – Fox Sports Southwest (FS-SW), KTXD
Indiana – Fox Sports Indiana (FS-I), WISH, WNDY
Los Angeles – Spectrum SportsNet

Minnesota – Fox Sports North (FS-N)
New York – MSG Network (MSG), MSG Plus (MSG+)
Phoenix – Fox Sports Arizona (FS-A)
San Antonio – Fox Sports Southwest (FS-SW)
Seattle – KZJO, KCPQ
Washington – Monumental Network

text: From 2010 to 2011 the regular season broadcast drew 270,000 viewers a growth of 5 percent from 2010s’ numbers.[53] As sponsorships continued to grow with deals from ESPN to air WNBA games on ESPN and ESPN 2. The league did experience some success on the digital forefront. Its saw increases on it mobile page views by 26 percent along with a major increase in its social media space; Instagram grew by 51 percent this past year.

text: WNBA League Pass[edit]

text: In 2009, the WNBA announced the launch of WNBA LiveAccess, a feature on WNBA.com that provides fans with access to more than 200 live game webcasts throughout the WNBA season. All of the WNBA LiveAccess games are then archived for on-demand viewing. Most games (except broadcasts on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2, which are available on ESPN3) are available via this system. The first use of LiveAccess was the E League versus Chicago Sky preseason game.[54]

text: Prior to the 2011 season, LiveAccess was given an overhaul, and the system became more reliable and many new features were added. Before the 2012 season, it was announced that users of LiveAccess would have to pay a $4.99 subscription fee to use the service. In 2013, this was increased to $14.99. In 2014 the streaming service was renamed WNBA League Pass.

text: Viewership[edit]

text:
Year
Season
Telecasts on ESPN2
Average Viewership
+/- over Previous

2005
Regular
Unknown
282,000
+

2006
Regular
14
242,000
+

2007
Regular
16
221,000
–

2008
Regular
13
248,000
+

Playoffs
12
282,000
–

2009
Regular
12
269,000
+

Playoffs
13
435,000
+

2010
Regular
18
258,000
–

Playoffs
7
370,000
–

2011
Regular
11
270,000
+

Playoffs
15
Unknown

2012
Regular
10
180,000
–

Playoffs
19
301,000
+

2013
Regular
13
231,000[55]
+

Playoffs
17
344,000[56]
+

2014
Regular
19
240,000[57]
+

Playoffs
10
489,000[58]
+

2015
Regular
11 (includes 1 on ESPN)
202,000[46]
-

Playoffs
Unknown
Unknown

2016
Regular
Unknown
224,000[59]
+

Playoffs
Unknown
Unknown

text: On the 2008 season opening day (May 17), ABC broadcast the Los Angeles Sparks and Phoenix Mercury matchup to showcase new rookie sensation Candace Parker. The game received a little over 1 million viewers.

text: Ratings still remain poor in comparison to NBA games. In 2008, WNBA games averaged just 413,000 viewers, compared to 1.46 million viewers on ESPN and over 2.2 million on ABC for NBA games.[60] In addition, WNBA games have much poorer visibility, attendance, and ratings than NCAA games.[61]

text: All-time franchise history[edit]

text:
Team
Years
Attendance
Avg.
W
L
PCT
Playoffs
Playoffs W
Playoffs L
Playoffs PCT
Titles

Atlanta Dream
2008–present
6,455
131
141
.481
6
14
17
.452
0

Charlotte Sting
1997–2006
6,851
143
179
.444
6
6
13
.316
0

Chicago Sky
2006–present
5,054
149
191
.438
3
5
9
.357
0

Cleveland Rockers
1997–2003
8,885
108
112
.491
4
6
9
.400
0

Connecticut Sun (total) 1
1999–present
7,132
304
266
.533
9
21
20
.512
0

Connecticut Sun
2003–present
6,887
244
198
.552
8
20
18
.526
0

Dallas Wings (total) 3
1998–present
7,382
269
331
.448
9
30
21
.588
3

Dallas Wings
2016–present

0
0
.000
0
0
0
.000
0

Detroit Shock
1998–2009
8,463
210
186
.530
7
30
19
.612
3

Houston Comets
1997–2008
9,592
241
149
.618
9
20
14
.588
4

Indiana Fever
2000–present
8,138
284
254
.528
12
35
32
.522
1

Los Angeles Sparks
1997–present
9,080
372
256
.592
15
34
32
.515
3

Miami Sol
2000–2002
8,556
48
48
.500
1
1
2
.333
0

Minnesota Lynx
1999–present
8,008
292
278
.512
7
30
14
.682
3

New York Liberty
1997–present
10,873
328
300
.522
13
27
34
.443
0

Orlando Miracle
1999–2002
7,927
60
68
.469
1
1
2
.333
0

Phoenix Mercury
1997–present
9,307
324
304
.516
10
32
23
.582
3

Portland Fire
2000–2002
8,321
37
59
.385
0
0
0
.000
0

Sacramento Monarchs
1997–2009
8,287
224
200
.527
9
24
19
.558
1

San Antonio Stars (total) 2
1997–present
7,692
276
352
.439
9
10
23
.303
0

San Antonio Stars
2003–present
7,857
189
252
.429
7
8
18
.308
0

Seattle Storm
2000–present
7,697
272
266
.506
11
19
20
.487
2

Tulsa Shock
2010–2015
5,173
59
145
.289
1
0
2
.000
0

Utah Starzz
1997–2002
7,334
87
99
.468
2
2
5
.286
0

Washington Mystics
1998–present
11,288
242
358
.403
9
6
18
.250
0

text:
1 The Connecticut Sun was known as the Orlando Miracle 1999–2002.
2 The San Antonio Stars were known as the Utah Starzz 1997–2002 and the San Antonio Silver Stars 2003–2013.
3 The Dallas Wings were known as the Tulsa Shock 2010–2015 and the Detroit Shock 1998–2009.


document_title: The Gladiators (photograph)

question_text: who are the players on the nrl trophy

question_tokens: who are the players on the nrl trophy

text: The Gladiators (photograph)

text: This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: The Gladiators is a 1963 photograph by John O'Gready of Norm Provan and Arthur Summons. A memorable sporting image from Australia, the award winning photo later became the model for the NSWRL premiership Winfield Cup trophies from 1982 to 1995 the NRL trophy since 1998.

text: The 1963 NSW Rugby League Premiership Grand Final between long term rivals Western Suburbs and St George was played in a torrential downpour on Saturday, 24 August. This, combined with the fact that the centre cricket pitch area of Sydney Cricket Ground was notoriously muddy in such conditions, ensured that the players were not only saturated but also caked in mud from head to toe. At the conclusion of the hard fought match which was won by St George, the captains of the two teams, the tall Norm Provan and more diminutive Summons respectively, embraced in appreciation of each other's stoic efforts. The moment was captured by a newspaper photographer, John O'Gready, and published in the following day's Sun Herald. Subsequently the image won several awards, becoming known as The Gladiators. Summons has recently said that The Gladiators actually shows him complaining about the referees decision to Norm Provan. This image was the inspiration for the current premiership trophy's bronze statue.

text: In 2008 the Western Suburbs Magpies celebrated their centenary by inducting six inaugural members into the club's Hall of Fame. These six included Summons.[1]

text: The Provan-Summons Trophy is the NRL's main prize, awarded to the team that wins the premiership. Its sculptured design is similar to the Winfield Cup trophy, which was introduced for the 1982 NSWRFL season. It is a three-dimensional cast of a famous photo called The Gladiators,[2] which depicts a mud-soaked Norm Provan of St. George and Arthur Summons of Western Suburbs embracing after the 1963 NSWRFL season's Grand Final. It was not officially named the Provan-Summons Trophy until 2013, the 50th anniversary of the 1963 Grand Final.[3] The trophy is awarded following each grand final to the captain of the winning club.

text: Each player from the premiership winning side are also awarded Premiership Rings.