PHOENIX — The future of sports has been up in the air since March, but now leagues, including the Phoenix Mercury, are working on their plans to return this month.
The WNBA announced practices and games will be held at IMG Academy. On its website, the facility is described as a "prestigious sports performance and educational institution," that also serves as a boarding school. All 12 teams will live, train and play games there with no fans in attendance.
Phoenix Mercury Head Coach Sandy Brondello says they've been having daily Zoom calls with the WNBA about protocols and what to expect. She says it's been a while since the team has been on the court together, but she's confident they'll be able to get back into the swing of things.
"We just have to make sure we're smart in their preparation so we can limit any kind of injuries and you know, have a healthy, healthy team leading into the season," Brondello told ABC15.
The WNBA says there will be 22 regular-season games per team, rather than the usual 36, with a full playoff slate featuring eight teams. They say the season will likely run from late July to late October. They say they're working with different TV networks so fans will be able to watch from home.
