WNBA ALL-STAR 2009 SET

- Sun to Host Midseason Classic for the Second Time - - Live Telecast on ABC will Showcase World's Top Female Basketball Players -       NEW YORK, Feb. 3, 2009 - WNBA All-Star 2009 will take place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., this summer, league President Donna Orender announced today.   The game will be nationally televised on ABC on Sat., July 25, at 3:30 p.m. ET.   This marks the second time that the WNBA All-Star Game will be played at Mohegan Sun, which also hosted the 2005 All-Star festivities.   "The WNBA All-Star Game is a showcase event for the greatest female basketball players in the world, and I cannot think of a better location than Connecticut, where the Sun – and, really, the women's game – has such a dedicated fan base," said Orender.  "With the Connecticut Sun and the Mohegan Sun Arena serving as our hosts, WNBA All-Star 2009 will undoubtedly be an extremely fun fan-and family-friendly event." "There's no doubt the WNBA has become part of the culture of Connecticut, and having the opportunity to bring this showcase event to a true hotbed of women's basketball in America is really exciting," said Sun Chief Executive Officer Mitchell Etess.   "We are honored to host the All-Star game for the second time in our short history," added Sun General Manager Chris Sienko. "I believe it is a credit to our fans and illustrates how supportive they are of both our team and the WNBA. To have the best-of-the-best showcase their skills here this July will be an event not to be missed." Sun season-ticket holders will receive information from the team this week detailing an opportunity to buy their current seats for the All-Star Game in advance of a public on-sale date.   Others with an opportunity to purchase tickets prior to the public sale date include fans who purchase one of two Sun mini-plans set to go on sale tomorrow, Feb. 4, and season-ticket holders with other WNBA teams.  Details of the latter option will be available in the coming weeks.  Individual tickets to the general public will be available in April at all Ticketmaster locations and the Mohegan Sun box office.     By hosting WNBA All-Star 2009, the ninth in WNBA history, Connecticut will join Washington, D.C. and New York as the only venues to stage the event multiple times.  In addition to hosting the league's first All-Star event on July 14, 1999, New York's Madison Square Garden was the site of the All-Star Game in 2003 and again in 2006 during the league's 10th anniversary season.   Washington, D.C. hosted the game in 2002 and 2007.   The Western Conference dominated play by winning six straight before MVP Katie Douglas led the Eastern Conference to a 98-82 victory in the 2006 All-Star Game. The East followed that up with another victory in 2007, when Cheryl Ford poured in 16 points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds to earn MVP honors. WNBA ALL-STAR GAME HISTORY Date         Location         W                 L                         July 14, 1999         Madison Square Garden (New York)         West         79         East         61         July 17, 2000         America West Arena (Phoenix)         West         73         East         61         July 16, 2001         TD Waterhouse Centre (Orlando)         West         80         East         72         July 15, 2002         MCI Center (Washington)         West         81         East         76         July 12, 2003         Madison Square Garden (New York)         West         84         East         75         July 9, 2005         Mohegan Sun Arena (Connecticut)         West         122         East         99         July 12, 2006         Madison Square Garden (New York)         East         98         West         82 July 15, 2007        Verizon Center (Washington)        East        103        West        99         * No game held in 2004 and 2008 due to the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, and Beijing, China, respectively   About the WNBA Set to tip off its historic 13th season on June 6, the WNBA is a unique global sports property combining competition, sportsmanship and entertainment value with its status as an icon for social change, achievement and diversity.  Comprised of 13 teams, the WNBA is the most successful women's professional team sports league in the world. The league concluded the 2008 regular season with increases in attendance, ratings, Web traffic and merchandise sales.   Through WNBA Cares, the WNBA is deeply committed to creating programs that improve the quality of life for all people, with a special emphasis on programs that promote a healthy lifestyle and positive body image, increase breast and women's health awareness, support youth and family development, and focus on education. For more information on the WNBA, log on to www.wnba.com.