Fan pressure finally relieved with release of WNBA schedule

While scheduling a meeting between the Washington Mystics and Tulsa Shock to open the 2013 ESPN broadcast session may seem odd, the pair of bottom-feeders will have much more promise compared to the last two seasons.Tulsa made a late surge to finish with a 9-25 record in 2012 and just picked up a jersey sponsorship Osage Casino, while Washington will be quick to erase the misery of Trudi Lacey as Mike Thibault assumes the helm after being fired from Connecticut.The Indiana Fever will have the honor of commencing the 2013 WNBA season, but will be doing so on the road, meeting with the San Antonio Silver Stars on May 24. The Fever posted a 7-5 mark against Western Conference teams in the 2012 regular season.Obviously, they prevailed in the WNBA Finals, and will conduct the banner hoist and ring ceremony on May 31, when they host the Indiana Fever.ESPN was heavily criticized during the peak of Maya Moore's hype for giving the Minnesota Lynx, the team that drafted her, just one regular season game before their 2011 title run.The "worldwide leader" has apparently learned from that mistake, provided the Phoenix Mercury act as planned and draft Baylor senior Brittney Griner. Phoenix will be featured five times on the ESPN networks, including the lone ABC game of the year on June 8 against the Indiana Fever.View the list »
The Minnesota Lynx will open their 2013 season at home and conclude the regular season at Target Center, a scenario that has not happened in several years.

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ESPN may join the legion of Phoenix Mercury detractors should Phoenix opt to use their first overall draft pick on someone other than Brittney Griner.

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The WNBA released its 2013 schedule Wednesday afternoon after weeks of mounting pressure from fans. Of the 16 regular season games to be featured on the ESPN networks, five of them will feature the Phoenix Mercury, a team many believed intentionally threw their 2012 campaign to position themselves for a high draft pick in the lottery. Regardless of the motive, fortunes played out in their favor when they were awarded the first overall pick.

The schedule also officially debunked rumors that were swirling regarding the future of the Washington Mystics, who got the fourth overall pick and were swooning with disarray under Trudi Lacey's tenure. Prospects for rebuilding should be more optimistic with Mike Thibault, who carries a winning pedigree from his previous job at Connecticut.

Minnesota Lynx fans will have to exhibit more patience than other league allegiances; the season begins on May 24, but Minnesota will not see their first action until June 1, when they host the Connecticut Sun at Target Center.

The Lynx will not have a home stretch beyond three games in their 2013 campaign, and their longest road trip will last four games, starting with a visit to Indiana on July 11 during their team's camp day. The four-game voyage concludes July 21, when they play the Phoenix Mercury.

Minnesota's day-game slate dropped from four contests in 2012 to two this season. Their second and final daytime game will take place just before the All-Star break on July 24, when the Phoenix Mercury visit Target Center.

FOX Sports North, the local broadcast partner for the Lynx, has yet to announce what games they will televise, although such telecasts have been few due to a constant overlap with the Minnesota Twins.

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  • ESPN was heavily criticized during the peak of Maya Moore's hype for giving the Minnesota Lynx, the team that drafted her, just one regular season game before their 2011 title run.The "worldwide leader" has apparently learned from that mistake, provided the Phoenix Mercury act as planned and draft Baylor senior Brittney Griner. Phoenix will be featured five times on the ESPN networks, including the lone ABC game of the year on June 8 against the Indiana Fever.
  • The Indiana Fever will have the honor of commencing the 2013 WNBA season, but will be doing so on the road, meeting with the San Antonio Silver Stars on May 24. The Fever posted a 7-5 mark against Western Conference teams in the 2012 regular season.Obviously, they prevailed in the WNBA Finals, and will conduct the banner hoist and ring ceremony on May 31, when they host the Indiana Fever.
  • While scheduling a meeting between the Washington Mystics and Tulsa Shock to open the 2013 ESPN broadcast session may seem odd, the pair of bottom-feeders will have much more promise compared to the last two seasons.Tulsa made a late surge to finish with a 9-25 record in 2012 and just picked up a jersey sponsorship Osage Casino, while Washington will be quick to erase the misery of Trudi Lacey as Mike Thibault assumes the helm after being fired from Connecticut.
  • The Minnesota Lynx finished 16-1 at home in the 2012 season, although such a stat may only resonate with hardcore fans after collapsing in the Finals to Indiana.Minnesota will be eager to assure spectators that their 2011 title run was not a fleeting fad. Their quest begins on June 1, when they host the Connecticut Sun. The two teams split their regular season meetings last year, with both teams winning on the road.
  • The Minnesota Lynx swept the Phoenix Mercury in their four meetings in 2012, but with the Mercury's apparent strategy successful, this year's series could prove to be far more dramatic with the scores of talent on both rosters. The Lynx will complete their five-game series with the Mercury by their 17th game of the season. The first meeting is June 6 and the series will conclude just before the All-Star break on July 24.
  • The league's annual popularity contest where defense becomes a virtual swear word returns to a very familiar venue: Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The arena last hosted the All-Star Game in 2009. No festivities were held in 2012 due to the Olympics, but fans unable to travel can watch this year's rendition on July 27, as ABC will televise the contest.
  • The Minnesota Lynx swept the Atlanta Dream in their 2012 regular season series, including a thrilling double-overtime win in September after trailing by 25 points. The two teams met in the 2011 WNBA Finals, ending in a Minnesota sweep.ESPN 2 will broadcast the first meeting of the series at Target Center on July 9.
  • ESPN 2 will visit Target Center again on Aug. 24, when the Minnesota Lynx host the Indiana Fever. Although Minnesota swept the regular season series, a more innovative approach by Indiana head coach Lin Dunn re-wrote the script when the two teams met in the Finals. For the curious, the teams will meet at Indiana on July 11, which starts the longest road trip of the season for Minnesota (four games).
  • In the last four seasons, the Minnesota Lynx would finish out the regular season on the road, where they either limped to the end after being knocked out of the playoffs or played as conservatively as possible to preserve their core for a playoff run.No matter the plot, the Lynx will end the regular season at Target Center on Sept. 14 against the Chicago Sky.
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, St. Paul Sports Examiner

Mike Peden, a writer and video producer, contributes written and digital stories for sports and autism news. His beats include the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx, the Minnesota Swarm of the NLL, and University of Minnesota basketball. You can also find him as a play-by-play commentator for various state...

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