How Will the Compact Schedule Shape the Season?

This Is What You Think...
The Voice of the Fans:

"PROPLE WILL WATCH MORE GAMES BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT A A WEEK OR 4 DAYS BEFORE THE NEXT GAME . I THINK IT WILL MAKE THE LEAGUE BETTER."
-Louis Ray, Houston, TX

"I think the league needs to have a longer season , but we cant do that until we add more franchises , how about a team in dallas?... Maybe you could bring back the old Dallas Diamonds ? haha just a thought."
-Xavier, Dallas, TX

"Less days means less time for players to get back from injuries. Also with the new rules the league is giving itself, the players have less time to know how to use it. I feel like the league is trying to grow but still feels like you guys think your not more important than international games. Honestly I really don't like when teams have to wait for u.s players to get back from Europe or European players leaving in the middle of the playoffs. In a time where the league is still trying make men of the U.S. take it seriously I feel like the league is still bending itself for other sports and countries rather than standing up for itself."
-Shirley, Raeford, N.C.

" I think that by having the games compact, especially for road games, is going to cut down on time to rest between games.This also means that there'll be more of a chance for injuries due to fatigue and travel and playing back to back games or games with only 1 day inbetween."
-Stacie, Tracy, CA

"More traveling , more games, less rest, lower scoring games.More turnovers.Tough for the ladies!"
-Cyn, Wallingford, CT

In the final installment of our preseason roundtable for WNBA players to share their thoughts about the upcoming season (as well as let the fans chime in as well), our player panelists tackle the WNBA's more compact season. With the World Championships in mid-September, the season will end a few weeks earlier, meaning more games. Now while that means less rest for players, it also means less time in between games and waiting for fans once the season starts.

Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever
"I'm excited about it. Last year we had like a week and a half off, and you were like I don't want to practice I want to play, and so I think having the same amount of games and shortening the season, it still gives you a break but you are able to play with more consistency and I like that. I think the quality of games will go up, I think the longer you sit, your body gets to rest, but your mind kind of wanders, but now its like OK, we have to two days to prepare for the next team, and your mind kind of has to kick it in, kick it up a notch."

Becky Hammon, New York Liberty
"I think you have to got to be in tune as a player with your body, listen to your body, get all the food and nutrition that you need to get, drink lots of water, but still I think at the end of the season when you're going into the playoffs you'll start to see the effects because it's so compact, but you really won't start seeing it until the end, and then at that point you just have to suck it up, let it all out."

Kristin Haynie, Sacramento Monarchs
"Coming right out of college to the WNBA was tough because we played so many games and the travel wore us down, so I think the older players are better able to adapt and getting used to these travel demands and short time between games. They're smarter about how they take care of themselves."

Sancho Lyttle, Houston Comets
"This year is going to be, I say, the guinea pig year for people to be testing things out, if you can't make it this year, you know what you have to do for next year."

Coco Miller, Washington Mystics
"It will be a little more rigorous, probably a game almost every other night, so you just have to make sure you get your rest, all that sort of thing, but I don't think it will affect me as a whole, because everyone has to do it. If you have a lot of days off, even just practicing is not the same as getting out there as playing, so I think that might even help teams, not being rusty at certain points throughout the year."

Ruth Riley, Detroit Shock
"I think that we're used to a crazy schedule, playing back-to-back, playing three games in four days in different cities, so I don't really anticipate that being too different, just shortening a little bit."

Katie Smith, Detroit Shock
"Stop worrying, everyone. We will be fine. Internationally we use a small ball internationally, and that consistency will make it easier on us who might be playing in the World Championships after the season ends. The transition will be much smoother, but it will be a tough competition. The U.S. needs to have its head on straight and the WNBA goes along with that."

Kendra Wecker, San Antonio Silver Stars
"For me it will definitely be an adjustment. I have never experienced professional basketball on the road. I was at home last year, but this will keep things moving. On the one hand, fatigue might be an issue, but on the other hand, if you lose a game, you have another one just a day or so later. It helps you to move on."

Lindsay Whalen, Connecticut Sun
"A lot more traveling, we go to the West Coast twice this year, last year we only went there once, so it will be more condensed obviously and so it will be just take care of your body and do what you have to do to get ready for the games. There's going to be a game every two or three days, so once you get going you have to keep going."