Mystics Courtside: This is Our Time

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

In the series premiere of Mystics Courtside, host Meg McDonald goes behind the scenes for preseason photo shoots, rookie Aaliyah Edwards talks WNBA draft night, Ariel Atkins & Myisha Hines-Allen pair together almost as well as Wine & Basketball, and the Mystics honor hall-of-famer Nikki McCray.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

Monumental Sports Network is the first regional sports network to program a Pre & Post Game show for a WNBA team. This relationship between the network and the team creates a culture of confidence. The network has dedicated resources to telling the stories and unveiling the personalities behind these extremely talented female athletes, and they are ready to step into the spotlight. The media is finally turning their attention to these women and their stories, and they are ready to be heard, giving our team unprecedented access to players.

Mystics Courtside will inspire other networks and leagues to invest in telling the stories of female athletes who have for too long been in the shadow of their male counterparts. These players are well spoken, interesting, entertaining, funny, and enjoy being in the spotlight. They are some of the best talent our crew has had the pleasure of working with. It’s time to let them shine!

Objective

Mystics Courtside is a magazine series providing exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the WNBA's Washington Mystics. The series launched in the spring/summer of 2024, during a banner year for women's basketball. The incredible excitement of the NCAA tournament, the buzz around the WNBA draft, the rise of high-impact rookies like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and the Mystics' own Aaliyah Edwards, and the thrill of the Paris Olympics all created an unforgettable backdrop for this groundbreaking program.

The objective of this series is to give fans a level of access to these elite athletes like you’ve never seen before. We follow along on a behind-the-scenes tour of Mystics Media Day, catch up with rookie, Aaliyah Edwards, join star players for a special wine night, and honor and remember WNBA legend and Mystics alum Nikki McCray.

Strategy & Execution

With the prevalence of social media, as well as the rights for college athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness, the WNBA has become an increasingly player driven league. Modern sports fans want to see the star athletes that they followed during the NCAA tournament and got drafted into the WNBA. This series capitalizes off giving fans exclusive access to their favorite players, which allows them to get to know the personality behind the players. The fans get to learn more about the players and team they know and love, making them even more invested in the live televised games. The programming strategy to air this show before and after games extends engagement with fans on the network.

Organizations

• Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Links

•   Website

Featured

• Aaliyah Edwards – Mystics player
• Ariel Atkins – Mystics Player
• Myisha Hines-Allen – Mystics player

Credits

Jim Kowats
Executive Producer
Monumental Sports and Entertainment

David Konschnik
Series Producer
Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Pavani Srinivasan
Producer
Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Steve Roessler
Editor
Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Arthur Binkowski
Editor
Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Anne Marie Huntington
Associate Producer
Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Pippa Lincoln Lenderking
Asociate Producer
Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Patrick Stump
Assistant Editor
Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Daiei Onoguchi
Director of Photography
Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Alex Diamond
Director of Photography
Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Zachary Jamieson
Director of Photography
Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Meg McDonald
Host
Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Aimée Brillhart
Vice President, Production
Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Amy Boyce
Director of Production
Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Alexandra Kreger
Production Manager
Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Scott Silberstein
Sr. Media Manager
Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Delaney Murtaugh
Sr. Manager of Digital Content
Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Brian Buckley
Audio Technician
Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Greg Breazeale
Audio Technician
Monumental Sports and Entertainment