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WNBA announces new timeout format

May 20, 2005 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) News Release


NEW YORK, MAY 20 – The WNBA today announced one new rule and one rule interpretation change. They were approved by the WNBA competition committee and will be implemented for the 2005 WNBA season.

"I wanted to clarify a couple of rules interpretations that may still be unclear," said Renee Brown, Chief of Basketball Operations and Player Personnel of the WNBA. "In actuality, only the timeout format constitutes a rule change. Coaches now have control of when the media or full timeouts will be taken. The WNBA is adopting the same forearm interpretation that has worked well in the NBA game."

The new timeout format increases the number of full time-outs given to each team from one to three per half, but two of those three time-outs will generally be assigned to the mandatory TV time-outs and could be used to accelerate the timing of those breaks. The forearm interpretation, which has proven beneficial to the NBA game, states the defender of a player with the ball cannot have contact with her extended forearm on that player from the baseline in the backcourt to the free throw line extended in the frontcourt. Only a "tactile touch" will be permitted on the player with the ball, however, this can only happen once. Multiple and successive tactile touches will not be legal and a foul will be called.

The WNBA will tip off its ninth season Saturday, May 21, 2005 with a full slate of exciting match-ups, including ABC's broadcast of the defending WNBA champion Seattle Storm against reigning MVP Lisa Leslie and the Los Angeles Sparks at Key Arena beginning at 4 p.m. EDT. Opening day will also pit the 2004 WNBA runner-up Connecticut Sun vs. the Detroit Shock at the Palace of Auburn Hills, the Houston Comets vs. the San Antonio Silver Stars at the SBC Center, the Phoenix Mercury against the Sacramento Monarchs at America West Arena and the Charlotte Sting hosting the Washington Mystics at the Charlotte Coliseum.

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