SEATTLE– The Seattle Storm today announced that the University of Washington’s
Alaska Airlines Arena will be the team’s primary venue for the Storm regular
season games during the 2019 WNBA season. The team will relocate due to the
previously announced renovation and complete shutdown of KeyArena, set to take
place in 2019 and 2020.
“The University of Washington and Huskies Athletic Department are incredible
partners during the Seattle Center Arena redevelopment,” said Storm President &
GM Alisha Valavanis. “Entering our 20th season as a franchise, we are hopeful
and excited to have our stellar fan base fill the seats at the University of
Washington Alaska Airlines Arena. Our goal was to keep the Storm in Seattle and
this beautiful partnership makes that possible!”
Seattle is enjoying a strong 2018 season and will enter the 2018 WNBA Playoffs
as a top-2 seed, securing home-court advantage in the semifinals. The team is
chasing the franchise’s third WNBA Championship (2004, 2010), and has set the
team’s second-best all-time record, currently at 24-8. The 2018 WNBA Playoffs
are slated to start Aug. 21 with the first of two single-elimination games.
Seattle, who owns a double-bye into the semifinals, will host the first two
games of the best-of-five semifinals series on Aug. 26 and Aug. 28 at KeyArena,
and an if-necessary game five on Sept. 4, also at KeyArena.
“We are excited to host a portion of the Storm’s 2019 home season here in Alaska
Airlines Arena,” University of Washington Athletic Director Jen Cohen said. “The
partnership embodies our commitment to cultivating relationships within the
Seattle community. Being an active member of a world-class city that has such a
strong collegiate and professional presence makes this one of the most unique
markets in the country and we are grateful to maintain strong bonds with the
professional organizations in Seattle.”
The full 2019 Seattle Storm schedule will be announced in accordance with the
WNBA releasing the 2019 schedule at a later date. Seattle’s preseason schedule
will also be released at a later date.
“This partnership between the Seattle Storm and the University of Washington
cements the fact that Seattle has the best sports teams – supported by the best
fans – in the world,” said City of SeattleMayor Jenny Durkan. “While I look
forward to the Storm returning to a world-class facility at the new Seattle
Center Arena, I’ll be rooting for our world championship Storm in their
temporary home at Alaska Airlines Arena.”
Storm 360 Members, package buyers and those who have placed 2019 deposits will
soon be receiving information regarding ticket renewal options, seating
locations and in-game experience changes.