Wheaties® Honors WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury
Team honored following WNBA Finals Victory
10/10/2007
Wheaties will issue a special-edition commemorative package honoring the 2007 WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury following their victory over the Detroit Shock in the WNBA Finals.
Phoenix earned its first WNBA title in franchise history by defeating the defending champion Shock three games to two in the best of five championship series and, in the process, became the first team in league history to win the title-clinching game on the road.
Under the direction of Head Coach Paul Westhead, the high-energy squad brought a fast-paced, aggressive game to the playoffs. Phoenix burst ahead midway through the first quarter of the final game and never looked back as its trio of All-Stars – Diana Taurasi, Cappie Pondexter and Penny Taylor – were nearly flawless. Pondexter scored 26 points and dished out 10 assists in the final game to take home the coveted Finals MVP award. Taylor’s 30 points, including a Finals record 18-for-18 effort from the free throw line, and Taurasi’s 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists helped secure the Mercury championship.
This package marks the fourth time Wheaties has honored WNBA players and teams in the league’s 11-year history. Released in 2004, the first WNBA-themed Wheaties box recognized stars from three championship teams, including the Shock, Houston Comets and Los Angeles Sparks. Other WNBA Champions that have been honored by Wheaties include the Sacramento Monarchs in 2005 and the Detroit Shock in 2006.
A photo of the team appears on the front panel. The 10.9-ounce Phoenix Mercury box will be available nationally beginning this month.
About the WNBA
Featuring 13 teams and the greatest female basketball players in the world, the WNBA is the longest-running and most successful women’s professional team sports league in U.S. history. The 2007 WNBA season concluded with an action-packed WNBA Finals and crowned a new champion, the Phoenix Mercury. For more information, visit www.wnba.com.
About Wheaties, “The Breakfast of Champions”
Launched in 1924, Wheaties is the No. 1 whole-grain wheat flaked breakfast cereal in the country. The brand began its association with sports in the mid-1930s with a sign on the left field wall at Nicollet Park near downtown Minneapolis. General Mills’ broadcast deal with the minor league Minneapolis Millers on WCCO Radio included the large signboard that Wheaties would use to introduce its new ad slogan: “Wheaties—The Breakfast of Champions.” From that rather humble beginning, Wheaties has built a heritage that includes many of the greatest athletes of all time. Learn more at www.wheaties.com.
THE BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS® AND WHEATIES® ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF GENERAL MILLS.
For More Information, Contact:
Tara Johnson
Wheaties Public Relations
(763)764-4069
tara.johnson@genmills.com
