Defending WNBA Champion Sky and City of Chicago to Host Weekend-Long AT&T WNBA All-Star 2022 Festivities

– AT&T WNBA All-Star Game set for Sunday, July 10, on ABC –

– League to Introduce New, Two-Day “WNBA Live” Event

Outdoors at Chicago’s McCormick Place –

– WNBA MTN DEW 3-Point Contest and WNBA Skills Challenge to be Broadcast by ESPN

on Saturday, July 9, from the site of the 2022 Nike TOC and Girls Nike Nationals –

 

NEW YORK, April 28, 2022 – AT&T WNBA All-Star 2022 will be played in Chicago at the Wintrust Arena, home of the defending WNBA Champion Chicago Sky, on Sunday, July 10 (ABC, noon CT/1 p.m. ET), and will be the centerpiece of a weekend full of WNBA activities, the league announced today. This marks the first time Chicago will host the WNBA’s midseason showcase.

In addition to the AT&T WNBA All-Star Game, the WNBA will unveil its new, two-day, “WNBA Live” at the nearby McCormick Place, the setting for the 2022 Nike Tournament of Champions and the Girls Nike Nationals. An interactive, outdoor event, WNBA Live will provide fans an opportunity to experience the intersection of the WNBA, entertainment and pop culture like never before.

“The WNBA is excited to bring AT&T WNBA All-Star 2022 and an innovative new ‘WNBA Live’ event to Chicago, a city that showed such electric support for the Chicago Sky and the WNBA throughout last season and especially during the WNBA Finals presented by YouTube TV,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.  “We are thrilled to turn AT&T WNBA All-Star 2022 into a weekend-long event that will give WNBA fans incredible opportunities to engage with our brand and partners who have stepped up to support the WNBA. We look forward to unveiling exciting details regarding ‘WNBA Live’ in the weeks to come.”

On Saturday, July 9, some of the league’s biggest and brightest stars will display their talents for a special audience – the participants in the Girls Nike Nationals – as the two WNBA All-Star teams will conduct practices indoors at McCormick Place where the Nike TOC and Girls Nike Nationals are taking place. Then, at 2 p.m. CT (3 p.m. ET), the 2022 MTN DEW 3-Point Contest and WNBA Skills Challenge will take place at McCormick Place, broadcast live by ESPN.

“I look forward to welcoming the WNBA All-Star 2022 championship and festivities to our city,” said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “Chicago is a city of sports fans, and we’re thrilled to cheer on the Chicago Sky as they defend their title at Wintrust Arena. I’m grateful to AT&T and the WNBA for choosing Chicago for this exciting event as well as the Chicago Sky for continuing to represent the best of our city.”

“As we are continuing to grow the footprint of the Sky and the WNBA, there is no better way to do it than to have the great stars of our WNBA galaxy gathered in Chicago for AT&T WNBA All-Star 2022,” said Sky President and CEO Adam Fox. “It’s great for the city, great for the league, and it further solidifies our place in the sports fabric here in the city of Chicago.”

Tickets for the 2022 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game will go on sale on Friday, May 13 at Noon ET.  Tickets may be purchased through Ticketmaster.com or through the Wintrust Arena box office.  For questions or additional information, log onto sky.wnba.com or call 866-SKY-WNBA.

The 2022 WNBA regular season tips off on Friday, May 6 and runs through Sunday, Aug. 14. The WNBA Playoffs presented by Google will then tip off on Wednesday, Aug. 17. For more information on the WNBA and regular-season game tickets, fans may visit https://www.wnba.com/schedule/ or the WNBA app.

 

WNBA ALL-STAR GAME HISTORY

Date                   Location                                                          Won                         Lost                          Score

July 14, 1999     Madison Square Garden (New York)              West                         East                           79-61

July 17, 2000     America West Arena (Phoenix)                       West                         East                           73-61

July 16, 2001     TD Waterhouse Centre (Orlando)                   West                         East                           80-72

July 15, 2002     MCI Center (Washington)                                West                         East                           81-76

July 12, 2003     Madison Square Garden (New York)             West                         East                           84-75

July 9, 2005       Mohegan Sun Arena (Uncasville, Conn.)      West                         East                           122-99

July 12, 2006     Madison Square Garden (New York)             East                          West                         98-82

July 15, 2007     Verizon Center (Washington)                          East                          West                         103-99

July 25, 2009     Mohegan Sun Arena (Uncasville, Conn.)      West                         East                           130-118

July 23, 2011     AT&T Center (San Antonio)                             East                           West                         118-113

July 27, 2013     Mohegan Sun Arena (Uncasville, Conn.)      West                          East                           102-98

July 19, 2014     US Airways Center (Phoenix)                          East                           West                         125-124

July 25, 2015     Mohegan Sun Arena (Uncasville, Conn.)     West                           East                           117-112

July 22, 2017     KeyArena (Seattle)                                            West                           East                           130-121

July 28, 2018     Target Center (Minneapolis)                         Team Parker            Team Delle Donne   119-112

July 27, 2019     Mandalay Bay Events Center (Las Vegas)   Team Delle Donne   Team Wilson            129-126

July 14, 2021     Michelob ULTRA Arena (Las Vegas)            Team WNBA            USAB                          93-85

 

In 2010, in advance of the FIBA World Championship, and in 2004, prior to the Athens Olympics, the U.S. Women’s National Team, comprised primarily of WNBA players, squared off against a team of WNBA stars in an exhibition match.  No game was held in 2008, 2012 or 2016 prior to the Olympic Games in Beijing, London and Rio, respectively.  In 2021, prior to the Tokyo Olympics, the All Stars on the U.S. Women’s National Team competed against the remaining WNBA All Stars.

 

About AT&T

We help more than 100 million U.S. families, friends and neighbors connect in meaningful ways every day. From the first phone call 140+ years ago to our 5G wireless and multi-gig internet offerings today, we @ATT innovate to improve lives. For more information about AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T), please visit us at about.att.com. Investors can learn more at investors.att.com.

 

About the WNBA

Tipping off its 26th season on May 6, 2022, the WNBA is a bold, progressive basketball league that stands for the power of women.  Featuring 12 teams, the W is a unique sports property that combines competition and entertainment with a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and social responsibility.  Through its world-class athletes, the in-game fan experience, TV and digital broadcasts, digital and social content and community outreach programs, the league celebrates and elevates the game of basketball and the culture around it.

In 2020, the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) signed a groundbreaking eight-year CBA that charts a new course for women’s basketball – and women’s sports overall – with a focus on increased player compensation, improvements to the player experience, expanded career development opportunities and resources specifically tailored to the female professional athlete.  Key elements of the agreement are supported through the league’s partnership platform, WNBA Changemakers, with AT&T, the WNBA’s Marquee Partner and inaugural Changemaker, as well as fellow inaugural Changemakers Deloitte and NIKE, Inc, and subsequent additions Google and U.S. Bank.  During the 2020 season, the WNBA and WNBPA launched the WNBA Justice Movement forming the Social Justice Council with the mission of being a driving force of necessary change and continuing conversations about race and voting rights, among other important societal issues.

 

For more information, visit WNBA.com.

 

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Contacts:  Ron Howard, WNBA, 212-407-8641, rhoward@nba.com

Sam Tager, WNBA 212-407-8358, stager@nba.com

Kelly Kane, Chicago Sky, kkane@chicagosky.net