Before last night's Monarchs-Mercury game in Phoenix,
some Mercury fans "carried protest signs and passed out
fliers -- some calling for a boycott" of the WNBA All-Star
Game, to be played in the city on Monday, and others "asking
fans to wear all black" in protest of no Mercury player
being named to the All-Star team, according to Ron Ognar of
the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. While the WNBA has a no refund policy
on All-Star Game tickets, Mercury season-ticket holder John
Chapman said that "he got his money back" yesterday at the
arena box office after protesting about the lack of home
team representation. The "majority" of Mercury fans spoken
to "still plan to attend the game despite their displeasure
with the selections" (AZ REPUBLIC, 7/14). Also in Phoenix,
Jeff Metcalfe wrote that having no Mercury players on the
squad, especially G Brandy Reed, who is in the top-ten in
the league in scoring, free-throw shooting, and steals, was
an "almost unthinkable gaffe" (AZ REPUBLIC, 7/12).
Approximately 17,500 of the 19,000 tickets available for the
All-Star Game were sold as of Wednesday, but Metcalfe wrote,
"Whether many of those seats will go empty out of protest or
the intended celebration of women's sports turns into a boo-
fest remains to be seen." Mercury coach Cheryl Miller: "I
wouldn't be at all shocked if people didn't show up. It's
not going to be a happy brunch" (AZ REPUBLIC, 7/13). Team
President Bryan Colangelo: "You know our fans are going to
react. Hopefully, it's not by boycotting the game." In AZ,
Dan Bickley: "Given the rabid nature of Mercury fans, the
backlash could be severe" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 7/13).
