10 Copyright (c) 2009 Yahoo!, Inc. All rights reserved. en-us 126 15 http://sports.yahoo.com Yahoo! Sports http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/sp/b/ysp_logo_rss.gif Yahoo! Sports - WNBA News http://sports.yahoo.com/wnba Latest news and information about the WNBA. AP Kings owner will no longer operate WNBA franchise (AP) FILE - In this file photo from Sept. 20, 2005, Sacramento Monarchs DeMya Walker, from left, Ticha Penicheiro, Kara Lawson, and Olympia Scott-Richardson celebrate as the hold up the WNBA Championship Trophy after defeating the Connecticut Suns 62-59 to win the title in Sacramento, Calif. The owner of the NBA's Sacramento Kings will no longer operate the WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs. WNBA president Donna Orender said in a statement on Friday it is in discussions with potential investors to relocate the Monarchs to the Bay Area in time for next season.

The Sacramento Monarchs folded on Friday, a shocking and disappointing development for the WNBA and one of its original eight franchises. The decision was largely based on the Maloof family's desire to focus all its energy and efforts on the NBA's Sacramento Kings. Maloof Sports & Entertainment had owned both teams.


]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:51:00 PST wnba urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,ap:20050301:wnba,article,ap-monarchsownership:1 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:51:00 PST