After weeks of wondering when the WNBA schedule would drop, on Monday, the schedule was finally released. The 22-game shorten season will kick off on July 25.
Opening Weekend
The WNBA season will begin with a tripleheader, first a matinee game between New York Liberty and Seattle Storm at noon ET on ESPN. It will be the debut of first overall pick Sabrina Ionescu and the return of Breanna Stewart, who is returning off Achilles injury. Later that same day, the Phoenix Mercury and Los Angeles Sparks will renew their rivalry at 3 p.m. ET on ABC. The nightcap will feature the defending champing Washington Mystics taking on the Indiana Fever on ESPN.
On the 26th, there will be another tripleheader featuring Connecticut Sun and Minnesota Lynx at noon ET on ESPN, Chicago Sky and Las Vegas Aces at 3 p.m. ET on ABC, and the Dallas Wings and the Atlanta Dream at 5 p.m ET on CBSSN.
The opening weekend games will be dedicated to the Black Lives Matter movement. All aspects of the game and player outfitting designed to support the movement. Also will honor victims of police brutality and racial violence.
TV Breakdown
The WNBA schedule features 24 national televised games on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN. CBS Sports and CBS Sports Network will have 40 televised games, including 11 doubleheaders. The other WNBA games will air on NBA TV and WNBA league pass.
Ionescu and the New York Liberty will be featured in five nationally televised games on ESPN or ABC, and the Storm, Aces, Sparks, and Mystics will have six each. New York came in last place last year but the Ionescu factor is why they will get some spotlight his year.
132 games played; there will be three games a day, with Monday most likely being off days. The playoff format will be the same as last year. It is almost time for the women to play; hopefully, nobody gets sick or hurt in the shortened season.
