CHICAGO—The Chicago Sky will open its inaugural season on the road May 20, 2006, against the Charlotte Hornets. The team’s home opener will be May 23 against the defending champion Sacramento Monarchs at the UIC Pavilion. The Sky’s second home game will be May 26 and bring to town Chicago area native Tamika Catchings with the Indiana Fever. The Sky will complete their first home stand with the Los Angeles Sparks on May 30.

“It is really exciting to open at home against the defending champs,” said General Manager and Head Coach Dave Cowens. “Our fans will get to see three of last year’s playoff teams with Sacramento, Indiana and Los Angeles within the first week of our season.”

The Sky’s home game against the Sparks on May 30 will be nationally televised on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. WTTW (Channel 11) will carry eight additional home games; a broadcast partner for the remaining eight home games will be announced soon. The newest WNBA team will play its home games at the UIC Pavilion on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The league has increased the number of weekend games this season.

The Sky will face all WNBA teams at home once, with the exception of Indiana, Detroit, Connecticut and New York who each come to Chicago twice. The team will have one West Coast trip in early June, traveling to Seattle, June 7; Los Angeles, June 9 and Sacramento, June 10. The Sky will close out the season on the road Aug. 10-13 at Detroit, Charlotte and Indiana.

The longest home stand will be in late July-early August when Minnesota, Indiana, Phoenix and Detroit come to town.

The Chicago Sky is the 14th team in the WNBA. Season tickets are available at tickets@chicagosky.net or by calling 877-329-WNBA (9622). Group ticket sales will go on sale Feb. 15, 2006.

Click here for the complete 2006 Sky schedule.