You are currently browsing the monthly archive for May 2011.
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!
Tuesday was a great day as we launched the Wizards new uniforms and logos. The event went smoothly and the response we have received on the new look has been overwhelmingly positive. In fact, WashingtonWizards.com set a record on Tuesday by experiencing more than double the traffic generated on the previous single busiest day in franchise history with over 100,000 visits and more than 520,000 page views. Moreover, online sales of Wizards merchandise were greater than 4000% better than an average day.
I’m so proud of the Wizards/Mystics front office for their collective work on this project. Everyone contributed. Everyone played a role. I appreciate everyone’s hard work to make Tuesday great and the deliverables even better. I’m also appreciative of the Wizards fans who were patient in waiting for this day to come. You are the best of the best and your support of the team and the path we are taken is most certainly valued.
As I mentioned last week, Tuesday was not an end. Instead, it was just a beginning. Over the course of the summer, we will roll out an expanded line of merchandise, continue to build upon our new website platform and unveil our new court design. We will also play some hoops, WNBA style.
As we cleaned-up from the Wizards big day on Tuesday, we also put the final touches on the preparation for the start of Mystics training camp, which began on Sunday. I personally love the opening of training camp. It always reminds me of the first day of school. You see old faces and you meet new people. Everyone is full of hope and promise. Everything seems new and fresh. This year, these feelings are especially strong as we roll out our new red, white and blue look for the first time.
I’m excited to see what Trudi Lacey and the new-look Mystics accomplish in 2011. I think great things are on the horizon. During the team’s initial meeting on Sunday morning, Trudi informed the team that their time is now. I couldn’t agree more. I expect a winning summer from this group of outstanding young woman and as always, I’m proud to be associated with an unbelievable collection of motivated and dynamic people.
On a final note, it was wonderful to see Alana Beard back on the court, making plays. Alana has overcome yet another significant injury and looks to be in the best shape of her career. I’m excited to see her with a team that has grown so much since she last played a game for the Mystics. It should be a fun summer.
Don’t forget the regular season starts with a road date at Connecticut just two weeks from Saturday, on June 4. The home opener follows one week later on Saturday, June 11. Tip-off vs. the Chicago Sky is set for 7pm on that date. We will see you there.
Praying to the Ping Pong Ball Gods
The NBA will conduct the annual Draft Lottery on Tuesday night with the Wizards holding the fourth best chance of acquiring the top pick in the upcoming 2011 NBA Draft. Washington, which finished the season with a 23-59 record, has an 11.90% chance of landing the top pick, a 12.59% chance of getting the second pick and a 13.29% chance of acquiring the third selection. The Wizards can do no worse than seventh in the selection process. Minnesota (17-65) has the best chance of getting the top pick with a 25% shot. The Draft Lottery can be seen live on ESPN. Coverage begins at 8pm.
Freshman Honors
John Wall capped off a brilliant rookie season by being named to the T-Mobile NBA All-Rookie First Team. The former University of Kentucky standout played in 69 games for the Wizards this past season, averaging 16.4 points, 8.3 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals per contest. Wall was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month in January, February, March and April, becoming the first player in franchise history to win the honor for four consecutive months. The North Carolina native also was named the MVP of the 2011 Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend and became the third youngest player ever at 20 years and 65 days old to register a triple double, recording the feat on November 10 vs. Houston.
School Day is Almost Here
The Mystics Third Annual School Day Game, presented by Inova Health System, will take place in just over a week, on Thursday, May 26. Tip-off vs. the Chicago Sky is set for 11:30am. The game combines the excitement of WNBA basketball with the fun of learning through sports. Thousands of school children will be in attendance, but the game is open to the public. Discounted tickets are available. Give us a call at 1-877-DCHOOP1 for more information.
Kay Jewelers
We were proud to announce last week that Kay Jewelers has joined the Mystics family as the presenting partner of the Mystics Youth Summer League. The partnership, which is one of the largest in team history, provides prominent exposure for Kay through the MYSL while delivering a plethora of resources to a League focused on cultivating basketball and helping kids in our community. Kay also receives on-court brand exposure and a series of hospitality opportunities. We are excited to have such a well-regarded brand join our ranks. Thank you, Kay!
Stat of the Week
Former Washington Bullets star Elvin Hayes ranks fourth in NBA history in rebounding with 16,279 boards to his credit.
Quote of the Week
“Believe in yourself. Everyone will follow.”
Five Final (and sometimes random) Thoughts
· Congratulations to the Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat on advancing to the NBA Conference Finals.
· Mystics Media Day is Wednesday. Check out the pictures from that event later on that day to see our new court design.
· Look for a new WashingtonMystics.com to launch around June 1.
· Hard to believe, but 15 years ago today I graduated college. I’m officially old.
Happy birthday to the Sports Wiz, Wizards/Mystics Website Editor Andrew Rosen. Andrew will celebrate his big day on Saturday.
Until next time,
Go Wizards and Mystics!
Today was a big day for the Washington Wizards and the entire Monumental Sports & Entertainment family as our past met our future and we introduced new uniforms and logos for Washington D.C.’s NBA entry. Our new look features the red, white and blue color scheme that is synonymous with the Monumental SE brand as well as our home in the nation’s capital. The Wizards’ new look combines some of the popular elements from previous Bullets and Wizards kits with a few clever components to give the new uniforms a look and feel of their own. From the “Stars and Bars” theme to the inclusion of silver as a fourth color to the team’s pallet, I feel really good about the end product. I believe it is a great mix of old and new and I hope you enjoy the uniforms as much as I have enjoyed working with a great team of professionals in designing them.
Our new family of logos also borrows from the past’s best and combines them with fresh elements to deliver what I believe to be a very strong identity. I particularly like the new “dc” mark, highlighted by the reaching hands and basketball as well the “monument” logo featuring a red, and white and blue basketball framing two iconic images of Washington, DC and our country…the Washington Monument and a star. You will see a lot of these two marks, along with the “Washington” and “Wizards” wordmarks, moving forward as they will take the lead in representing our brand.
A great deal of work went into what was unveiled today and it was the work of many. In fact, it was very much a team effort. There were countless folks within the Wizards organization and Monumental family who contributed during the nearly year-long process to get us to where we are today. To them, I say thank you. I also would like to pass along a special thanks to Ted Leonsis, Ernie Grunfeld and the Wizards/Mystics Vice President of Marketing Missy Rentz who ran the point with me in making this all happen.
Along with great work on the home front, a tip of the cap is in order for the NBA’s Vice President of Apparel, Sporting Goods and Basketball Partnerships, Christopher Arena as well as the lead design team at our partner, adidas. The trio of Leon Imas, Sumiko Kalish and Mike Bui were the true creative minds who helped our vision come to life. Finally, a thank you to Susan Lane, adidas’ NBA Team Services Manager, for all of her help making sure we had what we need to put on a good show today. The effort around the Wizards’ uniform and logo launch is proof that teamwork really does make the dream work.
If you are interested in getting new Wizards gear, now is the time. The team store at Verizon Center will be open from until 5pm today and the reopening from 6-9 this evening. The store will also be open from 11am-6pm for the remainder of this week. Plus, if you donate new or gently used Wizards apparel featuring the old color scheme, you will receive 10% off your purchase of new gear. All of the old apparel collected will be donated, along with outdated Wizards team gear, to the NBA’s Basketball without Borders program to help those in need.
If you can’t make it to Verizon Center, visit the online team store at WashingtonWizards.com to purchase our new line of merchandise. While there, be sure to check out the new look of the online store as well.
Yes, today was a good day, but it’s just the beginning. Over the coming weeks, we will continue to introduce new merchandise while unveiling the team’s new court design prior to the start of next season. It promises to be an exciting summer as we continue to evolve the Wizards brand and I hope you stay connected as we make these changes.
Mystics Training Camp Just Days Away
Just one other main note for this entry…we are now just five days away from the opening of Mystics training camp. It has been a long off-season since Atlanta knocked us out of the WNBA Playoffs in August. Now we are just days away from getting started again. I’m excited to see what Trudi Lacey and the new-look Mystics do in 2011. WashingtonMystics.com will have full coverage of training camp and will provide all of the latest news and notes from the team throughout the season. Be sure to check in often to stay current with the team.
Quote of the Week
“The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.”
Five Final (and sometimes random) Thoughts
• Didn’t see the Mavericks sweep of the Lakers coming. The top two seeds in the Western Conference are now gone. The 2011 Playoffs are proving to be the most exciting of the recent past.
• Had a great time in Malibu for the wedding of friends. Not a bad corner of the world.
• Did anyone think the Cleveland Indians would be one of baseball’s best teams in mid May?
• Happy belated Mother’s Day to my Mom and my wife. You both are amazing.
• Have you renewed your Mystics season tickets yet?
Until next time,
Go Wizards and Mystics!
Tuesday is a big day for the Wizards as our proud past meets our exciting future. Log on to WashingtonWizards.com or tune into Comcast Sportsnet to watch live coverage of the team’s uniform and logo unveiling. The action begins at 11am. See you there.
The B-List 