# 2009 WNBA season tips off June 6



## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

The Women's National Basketball Association will tip off its 13th season on Sat., June 6 with a full slate of games on opening day. The WNBA season will begin when Candace Parker, Lisa Leslie and the Los Angeles Sparks host Katie Smith and the defending champion Detroit Shock at 2:30 p.m. ET on ABC. The San Antonio Silver Stars, owners of the best record in the league a season ago, will open the season by traveling to Phoenix to face the Mercury (10 p.m. ET). The 2009 WNBA season will mark the first year of a new eight-year deal that allows ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 to televise games through the 2016 season. The agreement, officially announced in July 2007, will see the league receive a rights fee, a first for a U.S. professional women's team sports league. It also extends the WNBA's relationship with ESPN, which began with the league's inaugural season in 1997, to 20 seasons. 
For the fourth consecutive year, ESPN2 will feature "WNBA Tuesdays" as the appointment viewing destination for WNBA fans. With games available in high definition, ESPN2 will televise "WNBA Tuesdays" throughout the 2009 regular season, beginning June 9 as Sue Bird and the Seattle Storm take on Tamika Catchings and the Indiana Fever. ESPN2 will also air two weekend games in 2009, including a rematch of last year's WNBA Finals on Aug. 29 as the Silver Stars host the Shock and a Western Conference showdown on Sept. 13 as the Mercury host the Sparks to close out the regular season. The WNBA concluded last season with a 19% increase in TV ratings and viewership.
Combined WNBA coverage on ABC, ESPN2 and NBA TV, the league's 24-hour television network, will broadcast 70 regular season contests. 
Other key television matchups throughout the regular season include:
Diana Taurasi, Cappie Pondexter and the Phoenix Mercury going toe-to-toe with Becky Hammon, Sophia Young and the San Antonio Silver Stars on June 23 (ESPN2, 7:30 p.m. ET)
The Sacramento Monarchs hosting the Seattle Storm in a notable Western Conference game on July 9 (ESPN2, 9:00 p.m. ET)
Lindsay Whalen and the Connecticut Sun hosting the Sparks on July 14 (ESPN2, 7:00 p.m. ET)
Taurasi's return to Connecticut as the Sun host the Mercury on July 28 (ESPN2, 7:30 p.m. ET)
The Chicago Sky traveling to Los Angeles to face the Sparks on Aug. 25 (ESPN2, 10:00 p.m. ET), a contest that will feature two of the top rookies from a year ago, Sylvia Fowles of the Sky and Candace Parker of the Sparks. 
The 2009 WNBA regular season runs from Sat., June 6 to Sun., Sept. 13, with the playoffs scheduled to begin on Wed., Sept. 16. The complete 2009 regular season and game broadcast schedules follow. 
2009 WNBA Schedule
Day	Date	Visitor	Home	Local	Eastern
Saturday	June 6	Detroit	Los Angeles	11:30 AM	2:30 PM
Saturday	June 6	Seattle	Sacramento	1:00 PM	4:00 PM
Saturday	June 6	Washington	Connecticut	4:00 PM	4:00 PM
Saturday	June 6	Indiana	Atlanta	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Saturday	June 6	Chicago Minnesota	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Saturday	June 6	San Antonio	Phoenix	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Sunday	June 7	Connecticut	New York	4:00 PM	4:00 PM
Sunday	June 7	Atlanta	Washington	4:00 PM	4:00 PM
Sunday	June 7	Minnesota	Indiana	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Sunday	June 7	Sacramento	Seattle	6:00 PM	9:00 PM
Monday	June 8	Los Angeles	Detroit	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Tuesday June 9	Seattle Indiana	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Wednesday	June 10	Washington	Detroit	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Wednesday	June 10	Los Angeles	Minnesota	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Wednesday	June 10	New York	Phoenix	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Friday	June 12	Los Angeles	Indiana	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Friday	June 12	Seattle	Minnesota	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Friday	June 12	Atlanta	Chicago	7:30 PM	8:30 PM
Friday	June 12	Phoenix	Sacramento	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Saturday	June 13	New York	San Antonio	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Saturday	June 13	Sacramento	Phoenix	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Sunday	June 14	Atlanta	Connecticut	3:00 PM	3:00 PM
Sunday June 14	Seattle Chicago	5:00 PM	6:00 PM
Tuesday	June 16	Connecticut	Chicago	7:00 PM	8:00 PM	
Tuesday	June 16	Minnesota	Sacramento	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Wednesday	June 17	Minnesota	Phoenix	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Friday	June 19	Chicago	Connecticut	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Friday	June 19	San Antonio	New York	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Friday	June 19	Washington	Atlanta	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Friday	June 19	Indiana	Detroit	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Friday	June 19	Los Angeles	Phoenix	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Friday	June 19	Minnesota	Seattle	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Saturday	June 20	Chicago Washington	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Sunday	June 21	San Antonio	Connecticut	3:00 PM	3:00 PM
Sunday	June 21	New York	Atlanta	3:00 PM	3:00 PM
Sunday	June 21	Detroit	Indiana	6:00 PM	6:00 PM
Sunday	June 21	Seattle	Phoenix	4:00 PM	7:00 PM
Sunday	June 21	Sacramento	Los Angeles	6:30 PM	9:30 PM
Tuesday	June 23	Chicago	Atlanta	12:00 PM	12:00 PM
Tuesday	June 23	Phoenix	San Antonio	6:30 PM	7:30 PM
Tuesday	June 23	New York	Minnesota	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Thursday June 25	Phoenix	Washington	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Friday	June 26	Indiana	New York	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Friday	June 26	Detroit	Atlanta	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Friday	June 26	Sacramento	San Antonio	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
2009 WNBA Schedule
Page 3
Day	Date	Visitor	Home	Local	Eastern
Friday	June 26	Los Angeles	Seattle	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Saturday	June 27	Atlanta	Connecticut	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Saturday	June 27	New York	Indiana	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Saturday	June 27	Washington	Chicago	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Saturday	June 27	Phoenix	Minnesota	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Sunday	June 28	Sacramento	Detroit	6:00 PM	6:00 PM
Sunday	June 28	Seattle	Los Angeles	6:30 PM	9:30 PM
Tuesday	June 30	Minnesota	Atlanta	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Tuesday	June 30	Sacramento	Chicago	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Tuesday	June 30	Washington	San Antonio	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Wednesday	July 1	Seattle	Phoenix	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Thursday July 2	Connecticut	Indiana	7:00 PM	7:00 PM	
Thursday	July 2	Detroit	New York	7:30 PM	7:30 PM	
Thursday	July 2	Sacramento	Minnesota	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Friday	July 3	Washington	Atlanta	7:30 PM	7:30 PM	
Friday	July 3	Chicago	San Antonio	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Sunday	July 5	Connecticut	Detroit	6:00 PM	6:00 PM
Sunday	July 5	Atlanta	Indiana	6:00 PM	6:00 PM
Sunday July 5	Phoenix	Los Angeles	6:30 PM	9:30 PM
Tuesday	July 7	San Antonio	Seattle	12:00 PM	3:00 PM
Tuesday	July 7	Connecticut	Atlanta	7:30 PM	7:30 PM	
Tuesday	July 7	Washington	Minnesota	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Tuesday July 7	Chicago	Sacramento	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Wednesday	July 8	Chicago Phoenix	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Thursday	July 9	Los Angeles	New York	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Thursday	July 9	Sacramento	Seattle	6:00 PM	9:00 PM
Friday	July 10	San Antonio	Minnesota	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Friday	July 10	Indiana	Chicago	7:30 PM	8:30 PM
Saturday July 11	Detroit	Connecticut	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Saturday	July 11	Los Angeles	Washington	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Saturday	July 11	Atlanta	New York	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Saturday	July 11	Phoenix	Sacramento	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Sunday July 12	Minnesota	San Antonio	6:00 PM	7:00 PM
Sunday July 12	Chicago	Seattle	6:00 PM	9:00 PM
Tuesday	July 14	Los Angeles	Connecticut	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Wednesday	July 15	San Antonio	Washington	11:30 AM	11:30 AM
Wednesday	July 15	Chicago	Indiana	1:00 PM	1:00 PM
Wednesday	July 15	Atlanta	Minnesota	12:00 PM	1:00 PM
Wednesday	July 15	Sacramento	Phoenix	12:30 PM	3:30 PM
Wednesday	July 15	Detroit	Seattle	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Friday	July 17	Atlanta	Indiana	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Friday	July 17	Connecticut	San Antonio	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Friday	July 17	Seattle	Sacramento	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Friday	July 17	Minnesota	Los Angeles	7:30 PM	10:30 PM
Saturday	July 18	New York	Washington	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Saturday	July 18	Detroit	Phoenix	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
2009 WNBA Schedule
Page 4
Day	Date	Visitor	Home	Local	Eastern
Sunday	July 19	Indiana	Connecticut	3:00 PM	3:00 PM
Sunday	July 19	Atlanta	New York	4:00 PM	4:00 PM
Sunday	July 19	San Antonio	Chicago	5:00 PM	6:00 PM
Sunday	July 19	Minnesota	Seattle	5:00 PM	8:00 PM
Sunday	July 19	Detroit	Sacramento	6:00 PM	9:00 PM
Tuesday	July 21	Indiana	Washington	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Wednesday	July 22	Atlanta	Detroit	12:00 PM	12:00 PM
Wednesday	July 22	New York	Chicago	11:30 AM	12:30 PM
Wednesday	July 22	Sacramento	Connecticut	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Wednesday	July 22	Minnesota Phoenix	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Wednesday	July 22	Los Angeles	Seattle	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Thursday	July 23	Indiana	San Antonio	11:30 AM	12:30 PM
Thursday	July 23	Chicago	Washington	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Thursday	July 23	Sacramento	New York	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Sunday	July 26	Phoenix	New York	4:00 PM	4:00 PM	
Sunday	July 26	Sacramento	Washington	4:00 PM	4:00 PM
Tuesday	July 28	Washington	Indiana	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Tuesday	July 28	Phoenix	Connecticut	7:30 PM	7:30 PM	
Tuesday	July 28	Los Angeles	Minnesota	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Tuesday	July 28	Seattle	San Antonio	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Wednesday	July 29	Los Angeles	Chicago	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Thursday	July 30	San Antonio	Sacramento	11:30 AM	2:30 PM
Thursday	July 30	Connecticut	Indiana	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Thursday	July 30	Washington	New York	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Thursday	July 30	Phoenix	Atlanta	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Friday	July 31	Minnesota	Detroit	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Saturday	August 1	New York	Atlanta	7:00 PM	7:00 PM	
Saturday	August 1	Connecticut	Chicago	7:00 PM 8:00 PM
Saturday	August 1	Phoenix	Minnesota	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Saturday	August 1	Los Angeles	Sacramento	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Saturday	August 1	San Antonio	Seattle	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Sunday	August 2	Indiana	Washington	4:00 PM	4:00 PM
Sunday	August 2	Connecticut	Detroit	6:00 PM	6:00 PM
Tuesday	August 4	San Antonio	Los Angeles	12:00 PM	3:00 PM
Tuesday August 4	New York	Detroit	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Tuesday	August 4	Phoenix	Seattle	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Wednesday	August 5	Chicago	Indiana	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Thursday	August 6	Atlanta	San Antonio	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Thursday	August 6	Seattle	Los Angeles	7:30 PM	10:30 PM
Friday	August 7	Detroit	Washington	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Friday	August 7	Connecticut	Minnesota	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Friday	August 7	New York	Sacramento	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Saturday	August 8	Chicago	Atlanta	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Saturday	August 8	Indiana	Phoenix	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Saturday	August 8	New York	Seattle	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Sunday	August 9	Washington	Connecticut	3:00 PM	3:00 PM	
Sunday	August 9	Chicago	Detroit	6:00 PM	6:00 PM
2009 WNBA Schedule
Page 5
Day	Date	Visitor	Home	Local	Eastern
Sunday	August 9	San Antonio	Minnesota	5:00 PM	6:00 PM
Sunday	August 9	Indiana	Los Angeles	6:30 PM	9:30 PM
Tuesday	August 11	Detroit	Washington	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Tuesday	August 11	Sacramento	San Antonio	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Tuesday	August 11	New York	Los Angeles	6:00 PM	9:00 PM
Thursday August 13	Seattle	Connecticut	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Thursday	August 13	Detroit	Atlanta	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Thursday	August 13	Indiana	Minnesota	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Thursday	August 13	San Antonio	Phoenix	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Friday	August 14	Connecticut	Washington	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Friday	August 14	Chicago	New York	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Friday	August 14	Sacramento	Los Angeles	7:30 PM	10:30 PM
Saturday	August 15	Seattle	Atlanta	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Saturday	August 15	Detroit	Indiana	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Saturday	August 15	Minnesota	Chicago	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Saturday	August 15	Phoenix	San Antonio	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Saturday	August 15	Los Angeles	Sacramento	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Sunday	August 16	New York	Washington	4:00 PM	4:00 PM
Tuesday	August 18	Seattle	Detroit	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Tuesday	August 18	Phoenix	Chicago	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Tuesday	August 18	Washington	Los Angeles	7:30 PM	10:30 PM
Wednesday	August 19	New York	Connecticut	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Thursday	August 20	San Antonio	Atlanta	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Thursday	August 20	Indiana	Sacramento	7:00 PM 10:00 PM
Friday	August 21	Connecticut	New York	7:30 PM	7:30 PM	
Friday	August 21	Los Angeles	San Antonio	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Friday	August 21	Washington	Phoenix	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Saturday	August 22	Minnesota	Connecticut	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Saturday	August 22	Detroit Chicago	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Saturday	August 22	Washington	Sacramento	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Saturday	August 22	Indiana	Seattle	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Sunday	August 23	Los Angeles	Atlanta	3:00 PM	3:00 PM
Sunday	August 23	Minnesota	New York	4:00 PM	4:00 PM
Sunday	August 23	San Antonio	Detroit	6:00 PM	6:00 PM
Tuesday	August 25	Detroit	Connecticut	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Tuesday	August 25	Sacramento	Atlanta	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Tuesday	August 25	Chicago Los Angeles	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Tuesday	August 25	Washington	Seattle	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Thursday	August 27	San Antonio	Indiana	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Thursday	August 27	Atlanta	Detroit	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Thursday	August 27	Connecticut	Seattle	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Thursday	August 27	Phoenix	Los Angeles	7:30 PM	10:30 PM
Friday	August 28	Sacramento	Minnesota	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Friday	August 28	New York	Chicago	7:30 PM	8:30 PM
Saturday	August 29	Detroit	San Antonio	2:00 PM	3:00 PM
Saturday	August 29	Sacramento	Indiana	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Saturday	August 29	Connecticut	Phoenix	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
2009 WNBA Schedule
Page 6
Day	Date	Visitor	Home	Local	Eastern
Saturday	August 29	Atlanta	Seattle	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Sunday	August 30	Chicago	New York	4:00 PM	4:00 PM
Sunday	August 30	Minnesota	Washington	4:00 PM	4:00 PM
Sunday	August 30	Connecticut	Los Angeles	6:30 PM	9:30 PM
Tuesday	September 1	Seattle	New York	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Tuesday	September 1	Phoenix	Detroit	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Tuesday	September 1	Minnesota	San Antonio	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Tuesday	September 1	Connecticut	Sacramento	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Tuesday	September 1	Atlanta	Los Angeles	7:30 PM	10:30 PM
Wednesday September 2	Phoenix	Indiana	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Thursday	September 3	Seattle	Washington	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Friday	September 4	New York	Connecticut	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Friday September 4	Indiana	Detroit	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Friday September 4	Washington	Chicago	7:30 PM	8:30 PM
Friday	September 4	Atlanta	Sacramento	7:00 PM	10:00 PM	
Saturday	September 5	Seattle	Minnesota	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Saturday	September 5	Los Angeles	San Antonio	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Saturday	September 5	Atlanta	Phoenix	7:00 PM 10:00 PM
Sunday	September 6	Washington	Indiana	4:00 PM	4:00 PM
Sunday	September 6	Chicago Detroit	6:00 PM	6:00 PM
Tuesday	September 8	Indiana	New York	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Tuesday	September 8	San Antonio	Los Angeles	7:30 PM	10:30 PM
Wednesday	September 9	Detroit	Minnesota	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Thursday	September 10	New York	Detroit	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Thursday September 10	Indiana	Chicago	7:00 PM 8:00 PM
Thursday	September 10	San Antonio	Sacramento	7:00 PM 10:00 PM
Thursday	September 10	Phoenix	Seattle	7:00 PM	10:00 PM
Friday	September 11	Connecticut	Atlanta	7:30 PM	7:30 PM
Friday	September 11	Minnesota	Los Angeles	7:30 PM	10:30 PM
Saturday	September 12	Atlanta	Washington	7:00 PM	7:00 PM
Saturday	September 12	Detroit	Chicago	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Saturday	September 12	Seattle	San Antonio	7:00 PM	8:00 PM
Sunday	September 13	Indiana	Connecticut	3:00 PM	3:00 PM
Sunday	September 13	Los Angeles	Phoenix	12:00 PM	3:00 PM
Sunday	September 13	Washington	New York	4:00 PM	4:00 PM
Sunday	September 13	Minnesota	Sacramento	6:00 PM	6:00 PM

2009 WNBA Schedule
Page 7
2009 WNBA National Television Schedule
Day	Date	Eastern	Local	Away	Home	Network
Saturday	June 6	2:30 PM	11:30 AM	Detroit	Los Angeles	ABC
Tuesday	June 9	7:00 PM	7:00 PM	Seattle Indiana	ESPN2
Tuesday	June 23	7:30 PM	6:30 PM	Phoenix	San Antonio	ESPN2
Tuesday	June 30	7:00 PM	7:00 PM	Minnesota	Atlanta	ESPN2
Thursday	July 9	9:00 PM	6:00 PM	Sacramento	Seattle	ESPN2
Tuesday	July 14	7:00 PM	7:00 PM	Los Angeles	Connecticut	ESPN2
Thursday	July 23	7:00 PM	7:00 PM	Chicago	Washington	ESPN2
Tuesday	July 28	7:30 PM	7:30 PM	Phoenix	Connecticut	ESPN2
Tuesday	August 4	7:30 PM	7:30 PM	New York	Detroit	ESPN2
Tuesday	August 11	9:00 PM	6:00 PM	New York	Los Angeles	ESPN2
Tuesday	August 25	10:00 PM	7:00 PM	Chicago	Los Angeles	ESPN2
Saturday	August 29	3:00 PM	2:00 PM	Detroit San Antonio	ESPN2
Sunday	September 13	3:00 PM	12:00 PM	Los Angeles	Phoenix	ESPN2
* schedule subject to change


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