No official All-Star Game was held in 2010. Instead, there was an exhibition game matching the USA national team against a WNBA All-Star team, with Team USA winning 99–72 at
Mohegan Sun Arena. And as previously mentioned, no games were held at all in
2012 and
2016 due to the
Summer Olympic games.
In June 2007, the WNBA signed a contract extension with
ESPN. The new television deal runs from 2009 to 2016. A minimum of 18 games will be broadcast on
ABC,
ESPN, and
ESPN2 each season; the rights to broadcast the first regular-season game and the All-Star Game are held by
ABC. Additionally, a minimum of 11 postseason games will be broadcast on any of the three stations.[61] Along with this deal, came the first-ever rights fees to be paid to a women's professional sports league. Over the eight years of the contract, "millions and millions of dollars" will be "dispersed to the league's teams".
In 2004, the game was not played in its usual format due to the WNBA players competing in the
2004 Summer Olympics in
Athens, Greece. That year, the
USA national team defeated a team of WNBA All-Stars 74-58 at
Radio City Music Hall. This game is officially considered to be an exhibition rather than an All-Star Game. The league also took a month-long break to accommodate players and coaches who would be participating in the summer games. The tradition of not playing the WNBA All-Star Game during an Olympic year has continued in
2008,
2012, and
2016 (along with the tradition of taking a month-long break during the regular season.)
No official All-Star Game was held in 2010. Instead, there was an exhibition game matching the USA national team against a WNBA All-Star team, with Team USA winning 99–72 at
Mohegan Sun Arena. And as previously mentioned, no games were held at all in
2012 and
2016 due to the
Summer Olympic games.
In June 2007, the WNBA signed a contract extension with
ESPN. The new television deal runs from 2009 to 2016. A minimum of 18 games will be broadcast on
ABC,
ESPN, and
ESPN2 each season; the rights to broadcast the first regular-season game and the All-Star Game are held by
ABC. Additionally, a minimum of 11 postseason games will be broadcast on any of the three stations.[61] Along with this deal, came the first-ever rights fees to be paid to a women's professional sports league. Over the eight years of the contract, "millions and millions of dollars" will be "dispersed to the league's teams".
In 2004, the game was not played in its usual format due to the WNBA players competing in the
2004 Summer Olympics in
Athens, Greece. That year, the
USA national team defeated a team of WNBA All-Stars 74-58 at
Radio City Music Hall. This game is officially considered to be an exhibition rather than an All-Star Game. The league also took a month-long break to accommodate players and coaches who would be participating in the summer games. The tradition of not playing the WNBA All-Star Game during an Olympic year has continued in
2008,
2012, and
2016 (along with the tradition of taking a month-long break during the regular season.)