NAME GAME

WNBA fast facts

Odds and ends

• 45 Olympians in the league



• 96 percent of players have graduated college.



• 8 percent of league players are mothers.



• Eight teams have suspended operations, folded or relocated since 2002.



• In 2007 and 2008 the WNBA had attendance increases, including 46 sellouts in 2008.



• In an eight-year television deal with ABC and ESPN. In 2009, the league featured 36 nationally televised games on ESPN2 and ABC; 70 televised games on NBA-TV. Games are broadcast to 194 countries, WNBA President Donna Orender said.



• Team salary cap for next season is $827,000 with a minimum team salary of $796,000.

History

WNBA: 2009 Season

WNBA: 2009 Playoffs

How to purchase tickets

Investors

• Bill Cameron, chairman and CEO of American Fidelity Group in Oklahoma City. Cameron is the lead investor, chairman and chief executive officer of Tulsa Pro Hoops LLC. He is part of the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA team’s ownership group and is also part of the Tulsa Talons arena football team’s ownership group.
• David Box, president and owner of Box Talent Agency in Oklahoma City.
• One of the initial investors. He also is part of the Tulsa Talons arena football team’s ownership group.

Patricia

• Chernicky, CPA, Tulsa community volunteer



• Sam Combs, former CEO of ONEOK Distribution companies.
• Don and Pat Hardin, retired business people, community volunteers



• Paula Marshall, CEO of The Bama Companies, Inc.
• Stuart Price, owner of TranAlliance Development Group.
• Katie and Scott Schofield. Katie is a former Bishop Kelley girls basketball player. The Schofields reside in Washington, D.C.

More Shock facts

• Was one of the WNBA’s first two expansion teams with the Washington Mystics.
• Began play in 1998.
• WNBA champions in 2008, 2006 and 2003.
• Eastern Conference champions in 2008, ’07, ’06 and ’03.
• Went from league-worst 9-23 regular-season record in 2002 to league-best 25-9 regular season and WNBA title in 2003.
• Former All-Stars: Sandy Brondello (1999), Wendy Parker (2000), Swin Cash (2003, 2005), Cheryl Ford (2003-2007), Deanna Nolan (2003-07) Ruth Riley (2005), Katie Smith (2006, 2009) and Kara Braxton (2007).
• Coaches: Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman (1998-2000), Greg Williams (2001-02), Bill Laimbeer (2002-09) and Rick Mahorn (2009).
• Lost in this year’s conference finals to Indiana.
• Averaged 7,709 attendance in 2009.
• Led WNBA in attendance from 2006-08.
• Shock hosted three largest crowds in WNBA finals history: 22,076 for Game 3 in 2003; 19,671 for Game 5 in 2006; and 22,076 for Game 5 in 2007.
• On July 21, 2008, a brawl between the Shock and the Los Angeles Sparks in the final five seconds of a game resulted in 10 players being suspended (five for the Shock, five for L.A.), along with assistant coach Rick Mahorn, who left the bench area to try to break up players and knocked L.A.’s Lisa Leslie to the floor. Cheryl Ford tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee while trying to restrain teammate Plenette Pierson.