The WNBA on Lifetime refers to the presentation of Women's National Basketball Association games on the Lifetime television network. From its inaugural season in 1997 to 2000, Lifetime was one of three broadcasters of the WNBA, alongside NBC and ESPN. Lifetime as well as NBC and ESPN didn't pay the WNBA in rights fees. By 1999, Lifetime was broadcasting 11 regular-season games on Friday nights, the All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden and three playoff dates. In 2000, Lifetime phased out its live broadcasts and replaced them with an original series documenting the lives of WNBA players. The network stated that it wanted to focus on "stories" rather than event coverage; Lifetime transferred its package of games to ESPN2. Lifetime's final live WNBA broadcast was Game 1 of the 2000 WNBA Championship on August 24.