Detroit Shock announces television and promotional schedule
May 18, 2005 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Detroit Shock News Release
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - The Detroit Shock announced today that the team's 2005 television schedule features a WNBA-high and franchise best 12 local telecasts along with four nationally broadcast games. In addition, a Shock-record 37,000-plus fans will leave The Palace of Auburn Hills with premium giveaway items this season as the organization and its corporate partners, including The Metro Ford Dealers, Farmer Jack, Michigan Nurses Association, Best Buy and Rock Financial, embark on their most ambitious promotional program to date.
"We are looking forward to bringing the excitement of the Detroit Shock and the rest of the WNBA right into the living room's of our fans," said Palace Senior Vice President, Broadcast and Multimedia Pete Skorich. "With the cooperation of Head Coach Bill Laimbeer, we are going to bring the viewers inside the huddle and closer to the action than ever before."
FSN Detroit will carry four home games and two away contests in 2005, including the season opener vs. Connecticut on May 21 at 1 p.m. ET. The first 5,000 fans in attendance that afternoon will receive a Detroit Shock baseball cap courtesy of Farmer Jack.
Detroit's first local road telecast since the 2002 season is slated for Saturday, June 18 at Connecticut's Mohegan Sun Arena at 7:30 p.m. on Detroit's WB20. The Mohegan Sun Arena will also play host to the WNBA All-Star Game on July 9th. WB20 will also broadcast Detroit's August 6 match-up at Charlotte at 6 p.m.
Comcast Local will broadcast an additional four Shock games in 2005 beginning with a June 8 meeting with the 2004 WNBA Champion Seattle Storm, and ending with the regular season home finale on August 25 vs. Indiana at 7:30 p.m.
The Shock will be seen four times on national television this season (Sunday, June 12 at New York at 1 p.m. on ESPN2, Sunday, June 26 vs. Los Angeles at 1 p.m. on ESPN, Saturday, July 23 at Seattle at 4 p.m. on ABC and Saturday, July 30 at Connecticut at 1 p.m. on ESPN).
Matt Shepard - the voice of the Shock on 1310 AM WDTW (which will simulcast this season on www.detroitshock.com) - and Joanne P. McCallie will return for the call on locally televised games this year.
Shepard enters his eighth season of broadcasting with the Shock, while McCallie begins her third year as a member of Detroit's broadcast team. A familiar voice around the Detroit area for more than 11 years, Shepard will handle the radio and television play-by-play duties for the team. Shepard is a versatile radio and television veteran, who has won two Michigan Association of Broadcasters "Best Radio Sportscast" awards. He also serves as a sports anchor and talk show host for WDFN AM 1130 in Detroit, and is in his second season calling football games for NFL Europe.
McCallie is the head coach of the Michigan State University Women's Basketball program. After four years at MSU, McCallie is on track to turn MSU into an elite women's program after guiding the 2003-04 Spartans to a 22-9 overall record and its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Shock currently has promotional items scheduled to be given away at 12 of the team's 17 regular season home games in 2005, including books written by Ruth Riley (June 3) and Swin Cash (June 26), a Cheryl Ford/Ford Mustang bobble head doll (July 31) and the 2005-06 Detroit Shock Team Calendar (June 10), which will feature 12-months of photos of the Detroit Shock posed with select classic cars provided by Jerome Duncan Ford.
Many of the giveaway items coincide with Detroit Shock Theme Nights including Kids Day on July 17, Camp Day on July 20, Mother/Daughter Day on June 8, Father/Daughter Day on June 24 and Girls Night Out on August 7th.
"We continue to increase the value delivered to fans on a nightly basis, and we've made a significant jump in exposure on television. This season marks another step in the evolution of our organization", said Detroit Shock VP of Operations Kristin Bernert.
Fans interested in finding out more about the Shocks' Theme Nights and promotional activities should log on to www.detroitshock.com The complete Detroit Shock television and current promotional schedules are listed below.
Detroit finished the preseason with a 2-1 record - the first winning preseason in franchise history. They open the 2005 regular season against the 2004 Eastern Conference Champion Connecticut Sun on Saturday, May 21 at 1 p.m. at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Season tickets are available by calling (248) 377-0100 or by logging on to www.detroitshock.com. Detroit Shock 2005 Regular Season Television Schedule The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
(all times Eastern Standard Time)
Day Date Opponent Time Station
Saturday May 21 Connecticut 1:00 p.m. FSN Detroit
Wednesday June 8 Seattle 7:30 p.m. Comcast Local
Friday June 10 Charlotte 7:30 p.m. FSN Detroit
Sunday June 12 @ New York 1:00 p.m. ESPN2
Saturday June 18 @ Connecticut 7:30 p.m. WB20
Sunday June 26 Los Angeles 1:00 p.m. ESPN
Thursday July 7 @ Washington 7:00 p.m. FSN Detroit
Saturday July 23 @ Seattle 4:00 p.m. ABC
Saturday July 30 @ Connecticut 1:00 p.m. ESPN
Sunday July 31 Phoenix 5:00 p.m. FSN Detroit
Saturday Aug 6 @ Charlotte 6:00 p.m. WB20
Tuesday Aug 9 Charlotte 7:30 p.m. Comcast Local
Thursday Aug 11 Minnesota 7:30 p.m. FSN Detroit
Friday Aug 19 @ Los Angeles 10:30 p.m. FSN Detroit
Sunday Aug 21 Washington 5:00 p.m. Comcast Local
Thursday Aug 25 Indiana 7:30 p.m. Comcast Local
Detroit Shock 2005 Promotional Giveaway/Theme Night Schedule
Day Date Opponent Giveaway Item For The First . . . Theme Night
Saturday May 21 Connecticut Baseball Hats 5,000 Fans Opening Day
Friday June 3 New York Ruth Riley Book 3,000 Fans
Wednesday June 8 Seattle Deanna Nolan Poster 3,000 Fans Mother/Daughter Day
Friday June 10 Charlotte Team Calendar 3,000 Fans
Friday June 24 Washington Swin Cash Visor 3,000 Fans Father/Daughter Day
Sunday June 26 Los Angeles Swin Cash Book 3,000 Fans
Friday July 1 Sacramento Bad Boys/Bad Girls 3,000 Fans All-Star
Sunday July 17 Indiana Riley Poster 2,500 children Kids' Day
Sunday July 31 Phoenix C.Ford/Mustang Bobble 3,000 Fans Grandparents' Day
Sunday Aug 7 New York WNBA B-ball CD Case 3,000 Fans Girls Night Out
Sunday Aug 21 Washington Drawstring Backpack 2,500 children Back To School
Thursday Aug 25 Indiana Shock T-Shirt 3,000 Fans Fan Appreciation
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from May 18, 2005
