WNBA and its week of activities around Breast Health Awareness

(From SportsBusiness Daily, 8/21/09.)  The WNBA will host a series of events beginning Sunday to generate awareness about breast cancer and raise funds to help fight the disease. Efforts will include special programming during nationally televised games and displaying the official WNBA Breast Health Awareness logo on the court. The initiative runs through August 30 (WNBA).

The press release, published at OurSports Central, http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3889735, can be seen below.

NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2009 – Continuing an effort that has raised more than $2 million for breast health awareness, the WNBA will host several activities from Sunday, Aug. 23 to Sunday, Aug. 30, to generate awareness about breast cancer and raise funds to help fight the disease.Two nationally televised WNBA games will include special programming on the league’s breast health initiative and awareness efforts. Those games include the Chicago Sky vs. the Los Angeles Sparks on ESPN 2 at 10:00 p.m. ET. on Aug. 25, and the Detroit Shock vs. the San Antonio Silver Stars on ESPN 2 at 3 p.m. ET. on Aug. 29.  Each WNBA team has donated pink-and- white autographed basketballs to be auctioned off for charity, and both home teams participating in the televised games will wear pink and white uniforms, which will also be auctioned off. In addition, coaches will wear pink ties or scarves, and the referees will use pink whistles during these games. The official WNBA Breast Health Awareness logo will be displayed on the court.

As part of the weeklong events, the WNBA Breast Health Auction will launch on WNBA.com, with proceeds benefiting the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund, in partnership with The V Foundation. Yow was North Carolina State University head women’s basketball coach, who battled breast cancer for many years and succumbed to the disease in January 2009. The auction will feature specially designed autographed pink-and-white WNBA Breast Health Awareness basketballs.

The WNBA will use its various assets to help communicate the breast health message, including a special public service announcement that will run on the scoreboard and PA announcements that will be broadcast in-arena by each participating WNBA team. WNBA.com will also provide a special section for the auction, along with daily content and editorial pieces on breast health. A special feature called Her Story will include stories from WNBA players and fans of how breast cancer has impacted their lives. For more information, visit www.wnba.com.

About the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund

The Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund is a 501 c(3) charitable organization committed to being a part of finding an answer in the fight against women’s cancers through raising money for scientific research, assisting the underserved and unifying people for a common cause. For more information, visit www.wbca.org/kayyowwbcacancerfund.asp.

About the WNBA 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 2009 WNBA season tipped off June 6 on ABC.

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.