Mercury, Phoenix Suns Arena to host 1st WNBA Commissioner’s Cup
May 14, 2021, 7:18 AM
The new court at the renovated Phoenix Suns arena (Kellan Olson/Arizona Sports)
(Kellan Olson/Arizona Sports)
The Phoenix Mercury and Phoenix Suns Arena will host the inaugural WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game this season.
Ten designated intraconference regular-season matchups per team (60 league-wide) will determine the competition’s standings.
The top team from each conference at the end of the first half of the season will battle each other in a winner-take-all game, set to take place Aug. 12 right as the Olympic break wraps up.
“Cup games” will be the first home game and first road game each team plays against its five conference rivals.
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“To have the Commissioner’s Cup come to life in this historic 25th WNBA season is a testament to the players, fans, partners and WNBA teams who have supported and driven innovation at the league,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a press release.
In addition to winning a trophy, players will vie for a portion of a $500,000 prize pool.
Winning team members will earn up to $30,000, while the runner-up team members will earn up to $10,000. The competition’s MVP will earn an additional $5,000.
“Together, we view the Commissioner’s Cup not just as a compelling competition, but as a multi-faceted platform designed to drive opportunities for broader fan engagement, create additional interest around our regular season games, convene around equity and equality themes in our WNBA markets, and provide the players with an opportunity to earn significant cash compensation,” Engelbert said.
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