Experience The Excitement When The WNBA's Finest Take The Court

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As the WNBA All-Star Game (Women’s National Basketball Association) approaches, anticipation reaches a fever pitch. With legendary players like Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner set to take the court, this year's game promises to be the greatest. But it’s not just about the stars; it's about the unique opportunity to witness history in the making and celebrate the peak of women's basketball talent. You won't want to miss this ball game, and here are the many reasons why.

Fans hold some power when it comes to shaping the WNBA All-Star lineup. The top 10 vote-getters land a spot on the team, showing off their skills to the delight of fans everywhere. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will be teammates due to their fans' support. No need to fret if your favorite player isn't on the Olympic team—they'll be rocking it on Team WNBA!

This year’s game is being held at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, as the court is set for hoop history. The iconic venue, home to the Phoenix Mercury and the Phoenix Suns, is hosting their first ever custom-designed court for the WNBA All-Star Game. The court will include the names of every All-Star in WNBA history and highlight the previous game MVPs.

If that's not enough to pique your interest, get ready for an electrifying halftime show at the WNBA All-Star Game featuring Pitbull, one of the world's most energetic artists ever. He's guaranteed to take the excitement to a whole new level.

So whether you’re grabbing a ticket or just tuning in at home, you won’t want to miss this WNBA All-Star game!

Swing for the Fences: The 2024 MLB Home Run Derby Showdown

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

In 1985, a long-standing tradition emerged as many of Major League Baseball's best home run hitters competed at the All-Star Game in the Home Run Derby. This year is no exception, with some rules changes, but the excitement over who will claim victory remains unchanged.

Before you head to the Home Run Derby—whether you're watching it live at the stadium or from home—there are a few key things to know. First, familiarize yourself with the updated rules, which evolved over the years. While players have had to adapt to these changes, one constant remains: to showcase and celebrate the league's power hitters. Here are the 2024 Home Run Derby rules explained.

The Home Run Derby will feature eight hitters in the first round, with no set seeds (a competitor or team given an initial ranking for a draw). The top four hitters advance to the semifinals, and seeds will be based on the number of home runs in that round, not on regular season performance.

Each round lasts three minutes. Hitters can face a maximum of pitches: 40 in the first round and semifinals and 27 in the finals. The round ends when the time is up, or the maximum number of pitches is reached, whichever comes first. If players hit the same number of home runs in the first round, the tie-breaker is who hit the longest home run. In terms of bonus pitches, each player now gets extra pitches until they make three outs during that time instead of getting just a 30-second extra time.

Although some rules have changed this year, one thing is clear: the top hitters will all compete together in the Derby. It’s the ultimate superhero team-up, with more home runs and fewer capes.

Monday Minute: Wimbledon Royalty, Copa Crushes (Literally) + MLB All-Star Festivities

Welcome to this week's Monday Minute! We've got a roundup of the latest sports news and events to keep you in the loop and ready for any conversation. Let’s dive in!

Wimbledon Highlights

Princess Kate and Princess Charlotte made a rare appearance at Wimbledon to watch Carlos Alcaraz dominate Novak Djokovic in the men's singles final. Alcaraz is making history, lifting four Slam trophies at just 21 years old – a feat neither Djokovic, Federer nor Nadal accomplished that young.

On the women’s side, Barbora Krejčíková won her first Wimbledon title, becoming the second-lowest-ranked woman to win since the WTA Rankings started in 1975. Post-match, she celebrated with her friend, pop star P!nk, whom she met after winning the doubles title in Indian Wells last year.

Both the men’s and women’s champions took home $3.45M in prize money, marking a 14.9% increase from last year.

Soccer News

Euro Cup

Spain triumphed over England in the European Championships, winning 2-1 and claiming their record-breaking fourth title, edging one clear of Germany. England, on the other hand, continues to wait for another major tournament victory, with their last men’s major tournament win dating back to 1966.

Copa America

The start of the Copa America final game between Columbia and Argentina was delayed as fans without tickets rushed the doors to get in, taking out anyone in their way. The game was delayed for more than an hour to safely get fans into the building. Lionel Messi was forced off with an apparent right ankle injury in the second half, but his Argentina team scored in extra time, bringing their country back-to-back Copa America titles ..

MLB All-Star Festivities

All-Star festivities kick off at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers, with the Home Run Derby starting tonight. Fans attending the Derby or the All-Star Game on Tuesday will experience a unique twist – “Adam,” the park’s first robot bartender, will be serving drinks!

Keep an eye on National League starter Paul Skenes. Skenes learned he was starting in a unique way – his All-Star team manager called into the “Dan Patrick Show” and interrupted Dan’s interview with Skenes to break the news. Skenes has had an epic year, earning the honor of starting the All-Star Game just one year after being taken No. 1 overall in the MLB Draft. If sports aren’t your thing, you might know Skenes as the boyfriend of LSU gymnast, SI swimsuit model, and NIL top earner Livvy Dunne.

In the MLB Draft, the Cleveland Guardians selected Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana with the No. 1 overall pick on Sunday. This selection marks two firsts – the first No. 1 pick in Cleveland's franchise history and the first Australian-born player to be selected No. 1 overall.

ICYMI

Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes are expecting their third baby.

This Week:

- Home Run Derby - Today at 8 PM ET on ESPN

- MLB All-Star Game - Tomorrow at 8 PM on FOX

- WNBA All-Star Game - Saturday, July 20 at 8:30 PM ET on ABC

This week’s podcast is all about making the US Olympic team. Don’t miss it! Stay tuned for more updates, and have a fantastic week ahead!

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