Phoenix Mercury Announces 2020 Schedule
January 16, 2020 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Phoenix Mercury News Release
- WNBA regular season expanded to 36 games, beginning in 2020 (18 home, 18 away), the first increase in games since 2003
- Mercury's 24th season will run 126 days from May 17 - September 20; that includes a 36-day break for the Summer Olympics from July 11 - August 15
- The Mercury will be featured on national television five times (three games on ABC, two Games on ESPN2)
- Fry's Food Stores Opening Day: Sunday, May 17 vs. Seattle, 3 p.m. Phoenix Time at our new home, Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
- This will be the first professional basketball game at "The Madhouse on McDowell" since May 1992
- 14-of-18 home games are on Friday (6), Saturday (1) or Sunday (7)
- Phoenix will play four games each (two home, two away) against its three biggest rivals: Los Angeles, Minnesota and Seattle; three games against all other teams
- Annual matinee game tips at 12:30 p.m. against Las Vegas on Wednesday, July 8
- Mercury open up the season with five of its first six games at home and finish with six of its final nine games in Phoenix
- Commissioner's Cup debuts in 2020
o The new Commissioner's Cup will consist of designating a portion of regular-season games - 10 games per team - as counting towards Cup play.
o The team from each conference with the top record in designated "Cup games" will then compete for The Commissioner's Cup title and a special prize pool.
o Cup games will be the first home game and first road game each team plays against its five conference rivals, all completed from May 15 - July 10 before the WNBA takes a month-long break while many WNBA players participate in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan, including the USA Basketball Women's National Team, which will be competing for its seventh consecutive gold medal.
o The Commissioner's Cup Championship Game is tentatively scheduled to be played on Friday, Aug. 14, two days before regular-season play resumes on Sunday, Aug. 16 following the Olympic break.
- The Mercury's 2020 schedule can also be found at mercury.wnba.com/schedule
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from January 16, 2020
- Connecticut Sun Announce 2020 Schedule - Connecticut Sun
- Wings Announce 2020 WNBA Season Schedule - Dallas Wings
- Chicago Sky Announce 2020 Regular Season Schedule - Chicago Sky
- New York Liberty Announce 2020 Regular Season Schedule - New York Liberty
- Indiana Fever Open 2020 WNBA Season May 15 at Hinkle Fieldhouse - Indiana Fever
- Las Vegas Aces Open Expanded 2020 Schedule vs. Dallas at Mandalay Bay Events Center, May 17 - Las Vegas Aces
- Phoenix Mercury Announces 2020 Schedule - Phoenix Mercury
- Reigning WNBA Champion Mystics Release 2020 Schedule - Washington Mystics
- Minnesota Lynx to Open 2020 Season on May 15 at Chicago - Minnesota Lynx
- 2020 WNBA Season to Feature Inaugural Commissioner's Cup, Expanded 36-Game Schedule for Teams and More ABC Games - WNBA
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