The network stated that it wanted to focus on "stories" rather than event coverage; Lifetime transferred its package of games to ESPN2.

[19] At the conclusion of the first WNBA season in 1997, Lifetime Television registered a 0.5 household rating,[20] while ESPN scored a 0.8.

Upon being let go by the Sacramento Monarchs, Mary Murphy was hired by Brian Donlon,[44] Lifetime Television's vice president of sports and executive producer, to be part of its WNBA broadcast team along with Michele Tafoya and Reggie Miller.

When Lifetime ended its WNBA broadcasts in 2000, Murphy moved to ESPN for women's NCAA tournament games and WNBA broadcasts while Fox would bring her on board to call the Pac-12 women's games on FSN in the early 2000s.

At the end of the season, she was waived from the team's roster, and chose to retire and begin her career in broadcasting with TV partner, Lifetime.