NEW YORK (AP) — WNBA President Laurel J. Richie is heading to Minnesota as part of the league’s opening weekend and to help the Lynx unveil their 2013 championship banner.
Richie is ready for the games to begin after a turbulent offseason.
She faced the first major challenges of her presidency, including overseeing negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement and the sale of the Los Angeles Sparks to a group headed by Magic Johnson.
Richie said in an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press that having labor stability for the next eight years may help to attract new franchises. She says nearly half the 12 WNBA teams are profitable, that there’s been a league-wide increase in sponsorship deals and the WNBA’s TV deal with ESPN runs through 2022.
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