2006 Schedule Released

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

I haven't had a chance to study the schedule yet, but right off the bat, that's a stupid trip the M's make to Chicago only to come back home for a home stand. You mean we couldn't go to LA or Seattle or do some stupid home and home with Phx?

But folks....May 20th is going to be a very important date, as will June 10th. As the defending champs, it seems like we got as many nat'l network games as we've gotten in the past and what on EARTH is the love affair with the Sacramento Phx matchup all of a sudden??? Westhead's offense vs Whisenant's defense?

May
Sat 20
Phoenix
1:00pm
ABC
KHTK-1140

Tue 23
@ Chicago
5:00pm
KHTK-1140

Thu 25
Houston
7:00pm
KHTK-1140

Wed 31
Seattle
7:00pm
KHTK-1140
Jun
Fri 2
San Antonio
7:00pm
KHTK-1140

Tue 6
@ Phoenix
7:30pm
ESPN 2
KHTK-1140

Sat 10
Chicago
7:00pm
KHTK-1140

Wed 14
@ Houston
5:30pm
KHTK-1140

Sat 17
Seattle
1:00pm
KHTK-1140

Sun 18
@ Los Angeles
6:30pm
KHTK-1140

Wed 21
San Antonio
7:00pm
KHTK-1140

Fri 23
Los Angeles
7:00pm
KHTK-1140

Sun 25
Indiana
6:00pm
KHTK-1140

Tue 27
@ Seattle
7:00pm
ESPN 2
KHTK-1140

Thu 29
Minnesota
7:00pm
KHTK-1140
Jul
Sat 1
@ Charlotte
3:00pm
KHTK-1140

Sun 2
@ Houston
3:00pm
KHTK-1140

Thu 6
@ New York
4:30pm
KHTK-1140

Fri 7
@ Washington
4:00pm
KHTK-1140

Sun 9
Charlotte
6:00pm
KHTK-1140

Sat 15
Connecticut
1:00pm
ABC
KHTK-1140

Tue 18
@ Seattle
12:00pm
KHTK-1140

Thu 20
New York
11:30am
KHTK-1140

Sat 22
@ Minnesota
5:00pm
KHTK-1140

Tue 25
@ Indiana
5:00pm
KHTK-1140

Wed 26
@ Detroit
4:30pm
KHTK-1140

Fri 28
@ Connecticut
4:00pm
KHTK-1140

Sun 30
Detroit
6:00pm
KHTK-1140
Aug
Tue 1
Houston
7:00pm
ESPN 2
KHTK-1140

Thu 3
@ San Antonio
5:00pm
KHTK-1140

Sat 5
Washington
7:00pm
KHTK-1140

Wed 9
@ Los Angeles
12:30pm
KHTK-1140

Thu 10
Minnesota
7:00pm
KHTK-1140

Sun 13
@ Phoenix
7:00pm
KHTK-1140

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

No local TV coverage for you guys?

 

[DWalkfan22]

So will the MVP roadtrip be to Chi-town?

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

I'm thinking the roadtrip will be to Minnesota unless they change the way they do it. But that might be too expensive a destination to go for a weekend. Gawd, when I went back up to check the date for that minny game I saw another stupid road trip.

The local TV schedule won't be determined for another few weeks.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Two things stood out at me as I was reading the preview on WNBA.com:

Tuesday nights also means the WNBA on ESPN2, with games virtually every Tuesday during the summer.

That rocks!

Tuesday, June 13: Charlotte Sting at Washington Mystics (7 p.m. ET ESPN2)
In looking quickly at the schedule, this game might not stand out at you. But then you remember who owns the two teams and you can imagine just how badly each team will want to win the game. The Charlotte Sting are owned by BET Chairman and CEO Robert Johnson while the primary owner of the Washington Mystics is his ex-wife, Dr. Sheila Johnson.

You know what? I don't care what anyone else thinks; if I were the WNBA, I'd milk that for all it's worth. Drama=Ratings~!

 

[DWalkfan22]

So who decides where the roadtrip is to? The STH's?

And by when will it be decided? I'm just really curious.

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

The staff decides, and they typically try to use a Saturday away game that folks can travel to easily/inexpensively so they can hold the reception Friday night. So they need a spot on the schedule where the M's (and fans) don't have a game the night before. That's why we spent so many years either going to Seattle or LA, the schedule just wasn't open to many other cities. Since the schedule is out ealier they may let folks know earlier, but they let us know last year around the time (I believe) when they mailed out the season tickets.

They could use that San Antonio game before the 4th of July too.

 

[MamaBristow]

I haven't had a chance to study the schedule yet, but right off the bat, that's a stupid trip the M's make to Chicago only to come back home for a home stand. You mean we couldn't go to LA or Seattle or do some stupid home and home with Phx?

Not only is it a stupid trip for the Monarchs, but it's making it difficult for me to make my Chi-town road trip! I want to be able to actually stay in Chicago for a little while. I can't miss the Saturday game with the ring and banner ceremony! But if I want to see the Monarchs in Chicago, I will have to at least miss the Houston game...

 

[Purple Reign]

My road trip is set!!

July 6 @ New York
July 7 @ Washington D.C.

Can't Wait!!

 

[Carole]

That was fast. Seems like it was more like February last year before we had a schedule.

 

[StevenHW]

July will be a challenging month for our M's. Nine of the 13 games in July will be on the road, and there are two separate long-distance four-game trips that month.

 

[NothinButHoops]

Any idea when they plan to schedule the All-Star game? Usually it's in July & on a week-end. Thats my road trip. Looking forward to the home opener!

 

[DWalkfan22]

the ASG will be on a WEDNESDAY. July 12th. NYC.

http://aol.wnba.com/features/games_to_watch_06.html

 

[StevenHW]

the ASG will be on a WEDNESDAY. July 12th. NYC.
http://aol.wnba.com/features/games_to_watch_06.html

The article attached did not say that the ASG is going to be in New York.

Here's what it said [bold fonts are mine]:
"...And while the location for the game has yet to be determined, it is likely that they WNBA will honor the spirit of its tenth anniversary season in a big way, perhaps going with an established location like New York or Washington D.C. or giving a new city a chance, such as Seattle or Sacramento, in this banner year..."


Conceivably, the game might be in NY, but I don't think they have yet finalized that decision. The WNBA needs to spread the ASG around to other locations. I wouldn't even mind if they decide to have it in Charlotte. At least the Charlotte Sting is an original 1997 WNBA franchise, they're on the East Coast (which the WNBA prefers), they will be a new stadium in 2006, and they never hosted the ASG before.

But I really hope they don't have it in New York again. Or I'm gonna barf!

 

[StevenHW]

Part of Monty'sBiggestFan's post:

...what on EARTH is the love affair with the Sacramento-Phx matchup all of a sudden??? Westhead's offense vs Whisenant's defense?

I noticed that too. But I think ABC-TV and ESPN2 wants to emphasize the star players, not the offense/defense matchups. Especially on some kid named Taurasi.

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

Something must have happened...I thought they had already said they were having it in NY and already had some goofy reason for justifying it being there.

If they are going to hold it every other freakin year in NY, let's stop the charade and just hold it there every year like the NFL does the Pro Bowl.

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

I can understand them hyping Taurasi. I get that.

But what is the hype around a Sacramento/Phoenix matchup, it's getting TWO national TV games? I'm sure once the NBATv schedule is put together Taurasi will be on TV twice a week. The schedule maker did not have to make WNBA opening banner raising game Sacramento against Phoenix. Wasn't our hated rival LA? Or gosh, what happened to the New Champ raising the banner against the old champ which would have been our hated rival the Storm? That's why I do think it's the high octane freakshow Westhead offense against the top defensive team in the league (and defending champion).

 

[MamaBristow]

The article attached did not say that the ASG is going to be in New York.

Here's what it said [bold fonts are mine]:
"...And while the location for the game has yet to be determined, it is likely that they WNBA will honor the spirit of its tenth anniversary season in a big way, perhaps going with an established location like New York or Washington D.C. or giving a new city a chance, such as Seattle or Sacramento, in this banner year..."


Conceivably, the game might be in NY, but I don't think they have yet finalized that decision. The WNBA needs to spread the ASG around to other locations. I wouldn't even mind if they decide to have it in Charlotte. At least the Charlotte Sting is an original 1997 WNBA franchise, they're on the East Coast (which the WNBA prefers), they will be a new stadium in 2006, and they never hosted the ASG before.

But I really hope they don't have it in New York again. Or I'm gonna barf!

Well get the barf bag handy...cause I'm pretty sure it's New York. They've already sent out packages to the NY season ticket holders. While most fans of the W agree that they want it in another city, most cities aren't willing to host the ASG for financial reasons it seems.

The unofficial announcement:

http://boards.rebkell.net/viewtopic.php?t=9431&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

 

[RDub21]

Kind of disappointing that the longest homestand is 2 games. 2 four-game road trips isn't too bad. Also, what is up with all the home-away-home-away stints?

 

[6th]

Kind of disappointing that the longest homestand is 2 games. 2 four-game road trips isn't too bad. Also, what is up with all the home-away-home-away stints?

home-away-home-away = lousy schedule for the ladies

I was so looking forward to this year's trip, since it has been so long since I was able to go. However, the only away Sat. nights are in the East. That really sucks. I probably won't be able to go, since I cannot have that much time off. I could get away with calling in on a Friday, but that is it.

 

[StevenHW]

MamaBristow's response to my post:

Well, get the barf bag handy...cause I'm pretty sure it's New York. They've already sent out packages to the NY season ticket holders. While most fans of the W agree that they want it in another city, most cities aren't willing to host the ASG for financial reasons it seems.

AAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

In a way, I could understand the travel expense factor: the cost of transportation and the lodging of WNBA and NBA executives from the New York area would most likely be on the owners of the host city team's tab.

So, in order to keep the costs low, that could be the biggest reason why the WNBA prefers to have it close to NY as possible. This would have to explain why NY, Washington, Orlando, and Uncasville CT (all on the Eastern Standard Timezone) has hosted the W's ASG. But if no other team steps up or volunteers, then the New York Liberty is considered as the "host team" by default, because they are located in the same city where the WNBA headquarters are.

But if the WNBA is more interested in $$$, then I have to wonder if it's really worth to even have the ASG at all.