News - 11/13/2002

WNBA - San Antonio

San Antonio To Receive WNBA Franchise

San Antonio WNBA SAN ANTONIO, November 13 – Spurs Sports & Entertainment (SS&E) announced today that their drive to bring a WNBA team to San Antonio in 2003 has ended in victory. What began as a grassroots effort two-and-a-half years ago has now become a reality, as the fans of San Antonio showed their passion for women’s basketball by stepping forward and making 6,166 Season Ticket deposits, more than what was required to secure a WNBA franchise in the Alamo City for the 2003 season.

In honor of reaching this milestone, SS&E hosted a celebration in conjunction with H-E-B outside of the San Antonio Express-News Headlines restaurant beneath the Sombrilla at the SBC Center. WNBA President Val Ackerman, “WNBA in SA 2003” Chief Operating Officer Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, H-E-B Vice President of Marketing Rob Price, Houston Comets Head Coach Van Chancellor, 2002 WNBA Championship MVP and Los Angeles Sparks center Lisa Leslie, and 2002 WNBA Rookie of the Year and Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings came together at the event to talk about the Spurs efforts to secure a team, San Antonio’s support, and the great things a WNBA team will bring to the community.

“We're thrilled with the support the city of San Antonio and its fans have demonstrated for the WNBA,” said WNBA President Val Ackerman. “The Spurs have done a tremendous job of rallying the community behind our newest team, and we are more convinced than ever that San Antonio will be an outstanding market for the league and women's pro basketball.”

“To have finally secured a WNBA team is thrilling,” said Davis-Wrightsil, who played for the WNBA Phoenix Mercury in 1999. “The affordability and energetic atmosphere of WNBA games makes bringing a team to San Antonio extremely exciting. A WNBA team will give us another great way to serve the community, and create great role models for girls and young women.”

Sacramento Monarchs guard Edna Campbell then spoke briefly about her successful battle against breast cancer, and why the WNBA’s dedication to breast cancer awareness is so important. Campbell and Davis-Wrightsil presented five local breast health non-profit organizations – Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation, American Cancer Society, Cancer Therapy and Research Center, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and WINGS/Women Involved in Nurturing, Giving, Sharing, Inc. – with a check for $10,000 each. This check presentation represents a portion of the money that each organization will potentially receive this year as part of the San Antonio WNBA team’s breast cancer awareness ticket donation. During San Antonio’s first WNBA season in the SBC Center, one dollar of every WNBA home game ticket purchased will be donated towards breast cancer awareness. This and other breast health awareness and fundraising activities will take place throughout each WNBA season in San Antonio.

The celebration concluded when Ackerman, Davis-Wrightsil and Price placed the final markers in the “WNBA in SA” barometer, showing that the campaign had reached its 6,000 deposits goal.

The “WNBA in SA 2003” initiative began in March 2002, with the goal of securing 6,000 Season Ticket deposits by November 15, 2002. A huge ally in the drive was H-E-B grocery stores, who assisted in campaign by hosting two “rush” events and allowing fans to secure deposits at the business centers at all of their San Antonio stores. KB Home also assisted the drive by hosting “spirit parties” in some of their newer and largest neighborhoods throughout San Antonio. Finally, Davis-Wrightsil, assisted by her WNBA sales staff, spent countless hours giving presentations and speaking with people throughout the community.

Fifteen percent of the deposits made during the “WNBA in SA” campaign were purchased as part of a corporate underwriting initiative. The deposits, which account for approximately 1,000 tickets, will be donated to underprivileged youth programs. The corporate underwriters for the youth ticket programs are: Bexar County Commissioners Court, Frost Bank, H-E-B, Tim Hixon, Great Clips for Hair, Holt Companies, Institute for Women’s Health, John Urban, KB Home, Kinetic Concepts, C-CK’s Inc. McDonalds, The Pilote Shoppe, San Antonio City Council, Under Things, SBC Communications Inc. and USAA.