The WNBA this week announced that the league is finalizing a partnership that would make IMG Academy in Brandenton, Fla., the “Official Home of the 2020 WNBA Season,” allowing the league to begin playing its 2020 season, with a “competitive schedule of regular-season games followed by a traditional playoff format.”

According to a press release from the WNBA, the plan comes “after significant discussions with the league’s key stakeholders, including the Women’s National Basketball Players Association, and includes arrangements for each team to play 22 regular-season games, beginning in late July, and for players to receive full pay and full benefits.

In addition, the press release noted, the league’s modified season will “feature [a] bold commitment to social justice. As part of that commitment, the Dallas Wings are participating in the July 30 livestream event, “Rise Together,” benefitting the Greg Dolgener Memorial AIDS Fund and hosted by Del Shores. For information, see the Friday, July 19 issue of Dallas Voice.

Beginning in July, IMG Academy will be the home for each of the league’s 12 teams and serve as a single site for training camp, games and housing. “The top priority continues to be the health and safety of players and staff, and the league is working with medical specialists, public health experts and government officials on a comprehensive set of guidelines to ensure that appropriate medical protocols and protections are in place,” the WNBA press release said, adding, “Due to the fluid situation resulting from the pandemic, the league and players will continue to review the appropriate health and safety protocols and make necessary changes to the plan prior to arriving on site for the start of training camp and throughout the season.”

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said, “We are finalizing a season start plan to build on the tremendous momentum generated in the league during the offseason and have used the guiding principles of health and safety of players and essential staff to establish necessary and extensive protocols. … And, despite the disruption caused by the global pandemic to our 2020 season, the WNBA and its Board of Governors believe strongly in supporting and valuing the elite women athletes who play in the WNBA and therefore, players will receive their full pay and benefits during the 2020 season.”

Tim Pernetti, executive vice president of IMG Events and Media, said, “As home to some of the world’s leading athletes, coaches and performance experts, IMG Academy is thrilled to partner with the top basketball players in the world and the entire WNBA family. We are truly looking forward to … working closely with the league in providing our best-in-class training and competition environment.”

With this “unique season format” in place, and with all players at the same place at the same — “a first in the league’s history” — WNBA officials pledged that the league will “build on its commitment to social justice and will support players in launching a bold social justice platform as a call to action to drive impactful, measurable and meaningful change,” according to the press release.

“The WNBA 2020 season will include a devoted platform led by the players that will aim to support and strengthen both the league’s and teams’ reach and impact on social justice matters,” the statement continued. “As recently announced, this began with the WNBA making donations from sales of its ‘Bigger Than Ball’ women’s empowerment merchandise to the Equal Justice Initiative.

Engelbert said, “The WNBA opposes racism in all its forms, and George Floyd and Breonna Taylor are the latest names in a list of countless others who have been subject to police brutality that stems from the systemic oppression of black lives in America, and it is our collective responsibility to use our platforms to enact change.”

WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike said that in discussions with the league, the players’ association “emphasized, and they agreed, that a strong commitment to a 2020 season will give the WNBA the chance to show the world that it’s taking the steps needed to secure our livelihood and well-being, while also providing the opportunity to amplify our collective voice. We have always been at the forefront of initiatives with strong support of #BlackLivesMatter, #SayHerName, the LGBTQ community, gun control, voting rights, #MeToo, mental health and the list goes on.

“This is not only necessary from a humanitarian perspective, but it may be one of the biggest opportunities that this league has and will ever have,” Ogwumike added.

WNBPA Executive Director Terri Jackson said, “As in recent CBA negotiations, the WNBPA Executive Committee worked tirelessly to represent the interests of all players as the league planned to launch a 2020 season. Our society has learned, or perhaps has been reminded of, an important lesson: Women are integral to the economic stability of their families and their communities. The league and the teams’ commitment makes a statement.”

Under the current plan, teams will report to IMG Academy in early July and regular-season action will tip off in late July after a team training camp period. Although the WNBA 2020 season will be played without fans in attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league will continue to build on the current momentum around the WNBA and the players, while offering fans a front row seat at home thanks to broadcast partners ESPN, CBS Sports Network and NBA TV and their ongoing commitment to women’s sports. Regular season matchups and times for WNBA 2020 Tip-Off presented by AT&T, will be announced at a later date.

— Tammye Nash