City: Phoenix, AZ

Category: Spectator Sports

Telephone: (602) 252-9622 (box office)

Address: 201 E. Jefferson St.

Description: In 1997 the WNBA’s inaugural year, the Phoenix Mercury professional women’s basketball team won the Western Conference title. The team drew an average attendance of 13,703, tops in the eight-team league. Team owner Jerry Colangelo, confident there was an untapped market in women’s basketball, hired Cheryl Miller to be head coach and general manager of the Mercury. Miller was known for building winning records as a coach at USC from 1993 to 1995.Since then the WNBA has seen more expansion with new teams and a 33-game regular-season schedule. After Colangelo left, the team was taken over by Robert Sarver, who also owns the Phoenix Suns. Former UConn standout and No. 1 overall draft pick Diana Taurasi is the most popular player in the team’s history. The Mercury won the WNBA title in 2007 with Taurasi as its young leader and repeated in 2009.Ticket prices range from $11 to $65 per game, while season tickets range from $189 to $2,295 on the floor. Season tickets include a preseason game and first dibs on postseason tickets.