A Busy Week

Last week was a busy one for the Washington Mystics. On Wednesday, the team held Media Day. This initiative is one of my favorite events of the year as the players and the staff film videos and take pictures that will be utilized throughout the upcoming season. It also provides local media the opportunity to be on hand and grab sound bites and images for their use. I’m pleased that we had the largest media turnout in recent Media Day memory this year and I want to thank the press for their continued support of our team. We are fortunate to have very good coverage of our team here in Washington and I appreciate the inches, minutes and pixels the Mystics receive.

Then on Friday night, over 200 season tickets holders were on hand at Verizon Center for a meet-and-greet with the new members of the squad. This included Nicky Anosike, Kelly Miller, Ta’Shia Phillips, Victoria Dunlap and Jasmine Thomas. Fans had the opportunity to mix and mingle with the players, coaching staff and front office while enjoying good food and great conversation. It was nice to see so many familiar faces after such a long off-season. I also wanted to thank the season ticket holders who made a donation to the Mystics Tickets for Kids program. As a result of their generosity, over 200 underprivileged children will be able to attend a WNBA game this summer. An amazing result from an unbelievable fan base.

On Saturday, the entire team was at Turkey Thicket Recreation Center in NE DC for the tip-off of the fourth season of the Mystics Youth Summer League. Over 50 teams and 500 young women, ages 7-18, will participate in the free league this summer. Our partners at DC DPR and the Greater Washington Spots Alliance have again stepped up to the plate to make this important initiative happen. I also owe a big thanks to our new presenting partner of the MYSL, Kay Jewelers. The folks at Kay understand the importance of providing girls with the opportunity to compete in a league where developing skills to hit a jumper, be a good teammate and learn to lead are paramount. Moreover, every game played, every basket made is a step in the right direction in our fight against childhood obesity.

Following the event at Turkey Thicket, the team headed back to Verizon Center for a scrimmage against the Chinese National Team. This was Coach Lacey and the basketball staff’s first opportunity to see the new-look Mystics play against outside competition. The Mystics won, 72-67, but more importantly many of the new faces experienced valuable court time as everyone works to learn Coach Lacey’s new system.

It appears defense and rebounding will be two key points of emphasis for the squad this year. I can’t tell you how many games we will win, but I can almost guarantee you we will play with energy and we will be presenting an exciting brand of basketball. We will get up and down the court and we will get after it with and without the basketball.

Next up for the ladies is a pre-season game at New York on Wednesday. Tip-off is 10:30am. The following day, May 26, the Mystics will play the team’s annual School Day Game here at Verizon Center. That tilt against the Chicago Sky will start at 11:30am. Tickets are still available, so give us a call at 1-877-DCHOOP1 to get your seats today.

It should be an exciting season with a young, hungry team. We still have a variety of season ticket packages available, including one that delivers an entire 18-game schedule for just $99. That’s $5.50 per game when you do the math. If you are basketball fan, this is a no-brainer type of deal. Sign up and get in the game. Visit us at www.WashingtonMystics.com for more information.

Draft Lottery Recap

So the ping pong balls didn’t go our way and the Wizards ended up with the sixth pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. The good news is that the team has three picks (6, 18, and 34) in the first 35 selections of the draft. We are also well positioned financially and have a core of young, talented players. The future is bright, even if last Tuesday didn’t work out the way we had hoped. The team will once again be holding a draft party at Verizon Center. Details to come. Stay tuned.

Mystics Magazine

I’m very pleased to announce Comcast Sportsnet will air a brand new show, Mystics Magazine, during the summer of 2011. This show promises to deliver an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at Washington’s WNBA entry. The premier episode airs at 9:30am on Saturday, May 28. Please tune in. I think you will enjoy it. For a show schedule, as well as a listing of CSN’s 10-game broadcast schedule of 2011 Mystics games, please check out www.WashingtonMystics.com.

Thank You

The fan support for the Wizards last year was unbelievable and that momentum seems to be carrying over into the off-season. To date, the team’s season ticket renewal rate is north of 80% and over 1,100 new season tickets have been sold for next season. In fact, the Wizards are ranked in the top 10 in new season tickets sold league-wide. This is a credit to the wonderful support of our fan base and the hard of our staff. Thank you.

Stat of the Week

www.WashingtonMystics.com has experienced four of the top five busiest days in terms of page views in the site’s history during the past week. This includes the top day (Monday), second busiest (Wednesday), fourth busiest (Thursday) and fifth busiest (Tuesday). The third busiest day came on April 7 when the team unveiled the Inova Health System partnership and new uniforms.

Quote of the Week

“Your job gives you authority, your behavior gives you respect.”

Five Final (and sometimes random) Thoughts

· I’m enjoying two very good NBA Conference Finals Series.

· My daughter asked for cold left over pizza for breakfast the other day…I thought that wasn’t supposed to start until the teenage years?

· The Mystics 2011 home opener is just 20 days away.

· Happy Birthday to Wizards Assistant GM Tommy Sheppard and Wizards/Mystics Advertising Coordinator Megan Kingston.

· The B-List will be taking next week off. Have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend and please take some time to remember those who lost their lives serving our country.

Until next time,

Go Wizards and Mystics!