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AAP
AAP
Sport
Murray Wenzel

Queensland hub to host entire WNBL season

Lauren Jackson is delighted the entire WNBL season will go ahead. (AAP)

Cairns, Mackay and Townsville will host the entire WNBL season in a six-week window from November this year.

Basketball Australia announced their audacious plans on Friday to squeeze a 56-game regular season and four-game finals series between November 12 and December 20.

Mackay Basketball Stadium will hold eight games, the new Cairns Pop-Up Arena will showcase 20 fixtures while a combined 32 matches including the finals series will take place at Townsville Stadium and Townsville Entertainment Centre.

As it stands players and officials from official COVID-19 hotspots - that includes Victorian teams the Southside Flyers, Melbourne Boomers and Bendigo Spirit as well as the Sydney Uni Flames - will this month arrive in Brisbane for a 14-day quarantine period before heading further north.

Just as fans have been allowed to watch NRL and AFL games in Queensland, spectators will be permitted in line with the latest government protocols.

No imports will feature this season but a bulk of the Opals' squad, including WNBA All-Star Liz Cambage and recently-crowned WNBA champion Ezi Magbegor will ensure the standard is high.

BA's head of women's basketball Lauren Jackson said securing the tournament was crucial ahead of a potential Olympics campaign next year.

"The passion and commitment of all involved in the league and their unwavering love of Australian basketball are the core reasons why players, coaches, officials and club staff will be making significant sacrifices to ensure the 2020 Chemist Warehouse WNBL season is contested," she said.

"The WNBL is one of the world's best elite basketball leagues and we have such depth in talent within Australian women's basketball.

"The 2020 season plays a pivotal role in preparing the Chemist Warehouse Australian Opals for two important global tournaments and I want to thank all parties for the selfless and big picture approach in wanting to ensure the season went ahead."

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