{"id":287355,"date":"2025-10-08T20:04:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T20:04:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/287355\/"},"modified":"2025-10-08T20:04:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T20:04:11","slug":"valley-mayors-release-permission-slip-so-phoenix-can-watch-mercury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/287355\/","title":{"rendered":"Valley mayors release permission slip so Phoenix can watch Mercury"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Mercury were powered by a big three of Kahleah Copper, Satou Sabally and especially Alyssa Thomas (above).\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Ethan Miller\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Clocking out early to watch the Phoenix Mercury take on the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA Finals? These Valley mayors have your back.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At the newly minted Mortgage Matchup Center<\/a> (nee PHX Arena) on Wednesday evening, the overachieving Mercury will be taking on the Aces in Game Three of the league\u2019s championship<\/a>. Due to \u201cthat pesky East Coast bias,\u201d as Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego put it, the game is starting at 5 p.m., an hour when many fans are still at work. Maybe you\u2019re drinking there, maybe you\u2019re not, but you\u2019re probably not at the bar yet in any event, let alone seated for tipoff.<\/p>\n

But three Valley mayors are looking to help out you, the fan, so that you can make sure that home arena is a proper zoo.<\/p>\n

Gallego, Mesa Mayor Mark Freeman and Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke wrote cheeky permission slips<\/a> to area employers to give Valley fans the opportunity to leave work early, put on their purple and orange, and help the team notch their first win in the best-of-seven series.<\/p>\n

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Permission Slip: Approved Early Release<\/p>\n

Leaving work early on Wednesday at 5PM is not only acceptable \u2013 it\u2019s encouraged! Throw on your Mercury gear and report for fan duty because we have an early tip off and need you in the building!
\ud83c\udf9f\ufe0f https:\/\/t.co\/qTS4NWSV5l<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/EszaPkmam8<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) October 7, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In her letter, Gallego asked Phoenix employers to \u201clet your teams head out early on Game Day so we can pack the arena and give our Mighty Mercury the homecourt advantage they deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n

If the Mercury are to have a shot at capturing their first title since 2014, this is, in effect, a must-win game. Led by forward Alyssa Thomas \u2014 who this year set a single-season league record for triple-doubles \u2014 the Mercury have been a menace so far in the playoffs. They beat the reigning champion New York Liberty in the first round. Then in the semifinals they posted two ridiculous comebacks, including overcoming a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit in the decisive game, to squeak past the favored Minnesota Lynx.<\/p>\n

So far in this series, the Aces won an ugly squeaker in Las Vegas in Game 1, then cruised past the Mercury in Game 2. But as the old adage goes, no playoff series truly starts until someone loses a home game. Tonight, as Hartke put it, \u201clet\u2019s rally behind Phoenix Mercury and show our support.\u201d<\/p>\n

Will Hartke\u2019s get-out-of-work-to-watch-hoops note work? There\u2019s one way to find out.<\/p>\n

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