WNBA To Help Raise Awareness, Funds in Fight Against Breast Cancer

NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2011 – The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) will help raise awareness and funds in the fight against breast cancer during WNBA Breast Health Awareness Week Aug. 2-9.

Two nationally televised games on ESPN2 -- the Phoenix Mercury visiting the Minnesota Lynx in Minnesota (Aug. 2, 8 p.m. ET) and the New York Liberty hosting the 2010 WNBA champion Seattle Storm (Aug. 9, 8 p.m. ET) -- will help focus attention on the initiative. Highlights of the games will include pink-and-white uniforms worn by the home team: coaches wearing pink ties or scarves; the referees using pink whistles; and the official WNBA Breast Health Awareness logo displayed on the court.

The league will raise money through the annual WNBA Breast Health Auction, continuing an effort that has raised more than $2.5 million in the fight against breast cancer. The auction will include pink-and-white autographed basketballs donated by all 12 teams and the pink-and-white uniforms worn by the home team during televised games. The auction will launch Aug. 2, on WNBA.com and run through Aug. 9, with proceeds benefiting several organizations.

As part of the weeklong series of events, all WNBA teams will host an in-arena Breast Health Awareness Night featuring special programming, including halftime presentations to honor local cancer survivors, live auctions, and the distribution of educational materials in partnership with local breast cancer organizations. Teams are also hosting a variety of community events in an effort to generate additional awareness about breast cancer.

The WNBA will use its various assets to communicate the breast health message, including a special public service announcement that will run on the scoreboard and in-arena public announcements.