Women's National Basketball Association

{{Short description|Professional league in North America}} {{Redirect|WNBA}} {{Distinguish|text=the National Women's Basketball Association, a 1986 league}} {{Use American English|date=July 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}} {{Infobox sports league | title = Women's National Basketball Association | current_season = | upcoming_season = 2026 WNBA season | logo = WNBA logo.svg | pixels = 240px | founded = {{start date and age|1996|04|24}} | inaugural = 1997 | headquarters = New York City, United States | commissioner = Cathy Engelbert | teams = 15 (18 by 2030) | countries = United States (14 teams)<br>Canada (1 team) | fed = | domest_cup = Commissioner's Cup | champion = | champions = Las Vegas Aces<br>(3rd title) | champ_season = | most_champs = Houston Comets<br>Minnesota Lynx<br>Seattle Storm<br>(4 titles each)<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.espn.in/wnba/story/_/id/41330459/wnba-teams-most-championships| last=Jenkins| first=Keith| title=Which WNBA teams have the most championships?| website = ESPN| date=October 10, 2025| access-date=December 23, 2025}}</ref> | most successful club = | TV = {{unbulleted list | '''United States:''' | ABC/ESPN/ESPN2/ESPN Deportes | CBS/Paramount+ | Ion | Amazon Prime Video | NBA TV | NBC/NBCSN/Telemundo/Universo/Peacock | USA Network | '''Canada:''' | TSN/CTV | Amazon Prime Video | NBA TV Canada | '''International:''' | see list }} | website = {{URL|wnba.com/}} | current = }} The '''Women's National Basketball Association''' ('''WNBA''') is a women's professional basketball league in North America composed of 15 teams (14 in the United States and 1<!--Per MOS:NUM, comparable quantities should all be in the same format, so the numeral for 1 is correct. Please do not change it to "one".--> in Canada), scheduled to expand to 18 by 2030. The WNBA is one of the professional women's sports leagues in North America. The WNBA is headquartered in New York City.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WNBA 2026 Company Profile: Valuation, Funding & Investors {{!}} PitchBook |url=https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/231325-03 |access-date=2026-01-12 |website=Pitchbook |language=en}}</ref>

The WNBA was founded on April 24, 1996, as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association (NBA); league play began in 1997.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Frequently Asked Questions |url=https://www.wnba.com/faq |access-date=2026-02-03 |website=WNBA |language=en}}</ref> The regular season runs from May to September, with each team playing 44 games. The top eight teams (regardless of conference) qualify for the playoffs, culminating in the WNBA Finals, which is played in October.

The All-Star Game occurs midway through the season in July. The league hosts an annual mid-season competition, the Commissioner's Cup. The WNBA is an active member of USA Basketball (USAB),<ref>{{cite web|title=Members of USA Basketball|url=https://www.usab.com/about/about-usa-basketball/members.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807001024/https://www.usab.com/about/about-usa-basketball/members.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 7, 2019|work=USA Basketball|access-date=June 14, 2020}}</ref> which is recognized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) as the governing body for basketball in the United States.

==History== ===League founded and play begins (1996–1997)===

[[File:Sheryl Swoopes WNBA.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|Sheryl Swoopes, the first player signed by the WNBA, won four championships with the Houston Comets and three MVP awards.]]

The creation of the WNBA was officially approved by the NBA Board of Governors on April 24, 1996,<ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=http://www.wnba.com/history/ |access-date=December 23, 2025 |website=WNBA}}</ref> and announced at a press conference with Rebecca Lobo, Lisa Leslie, and Sheryl Swoopes in attendance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, Rebecca Lobo Reunited at WNBA Draft |url=http://www.wnba.com/news/original-three-lisa-leslie-sheryl-swoopes-rebecca-lobo-wnba-draft/ |access-date=June 18, 2016 |website=WNBA}}</ref> The new WNBA had to compete with the recently formed American Basketball League, another professional women's league that began play in the fall of 1996, but ceased operation during its 1998–99 season.

The WNBA began with eight teams: the Charlotte Sting, Cleveland Rockers, Houston Comets, and New York Liberty in the Eastern Conference; and the Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, Sacramento Monarchs, and Utah Starzz in the Western Conference.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2002-05-03 |title=History of the WNBA |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/history-of-the-wnba-2002 |access-date=2026-01-15 |website=WNBA}}</ref>

While not the first major women's professional basketball league in the United States, which was the defunct WBL, the WNBA is the only league to receive full backing of the NBA.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Voepel |first=Mechelle |date=January 31, 2014 |title=Stern was 'mastermind' behind WNBA |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/10382007/wnba-nba-commissioner-david-stern-changed-women-basketball |access-date=June 18, 2016 |website=ESPN}}</ref> The WNBA logo, "Logo Woman", paralleled the NBA logo and was selected out of 50 different designs.<ref name=":0" />

Following a much-publicized gold medal run by the USA women's national team at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, the WNBA then began its first season on June 21, 1997. The first WNBA game featured the New York Liberty facing the Los Angeles Sparks in Los Angeles. The Liberty defeated the Sparks 67–57. A crowd of 14,284 attended the game at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California.<ref>{{Cite web |agency=Associated Press |date=2024-06-21 |title=Today in Sports History: First WNBA game held |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/06/21/today-in-sports-history-first-wnba-game-held/ |access-date=2024-07-19 |work=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> The game was televised nationally in the United States on the NBC television network. At the start of the 1997 season, the WNBA had television deals in with NBC (NBA rights holder), ESPN, and Lifetime. Penny Toler scored the league's first point.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |date=May 3, 2012 |title=WNBA History Timeline |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-history-timeline-2012 |access-date=December 23, 2025 |website=WNBA |language=en}}</ref>

===Houston domination and league expansion (1997–2000)===

[[File:Cynthia Cooper-Dyke in 2011.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|left|Cynthia Cooper entered the WNBA at age 34 and won Finals MVP in each of the Houston Comets’ four championships.]]

The WNBA centered its marketing campaign, dubbed "We Got Next," around stars Rebecca Lobo, Lisa Leslie, and Sheryl Swoopes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Voepel |first=Mechelle |date=June 18, 2021 |title=Inside the WNBA's inaugural game, 25 seasons later |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/16256278/twenty-years-later-look-back-wnba-first-game |access-date=December 23, 2025 |publisher=ESPN}}</ref> In the league's first season, Leslie's Los Angeles Sparks underperformed, and Swoopes sat out much of the season due to her pregnancy. Perhaps the WNBA's first star was MVP Cynthia Cooper, Swoopes' teammate on the Houston Comets. The Comets defeated Lobo's New York Liberty in the first WNBA championship game.<ref>{{cite web|last=Walker|first=Rhiannon|url=https://andscape.com/features/houston-comets-won-wnba-inaugural-championship/|title=When the Houston Comets won the WNBA's inaugural championship|work=Andscape|date=August 30, 2017|accessdate=May 28, 2024}}</ref> The initial "We Got Next" advertisement ran before each season until it was replaced with a "We Got Game" campaign.

Two teams were added in 1998 (Detroit and Washington),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/1997/10/02/oth_215436.shtml#.V2WjdrgrKUk|title=Detroit, Washington join WNBA lineup|agency=Associated Press|website=chronicle.augusta.com|access-date=2016-06-18|archive-date=August 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808083233/http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/1997/10/02/oth_215436.shtml#.V2WjdrgrKUk|url-status=dead}}</ref> and two more in 1999 (Orlando and Minnesota), bringing the total number of teams in the league up to 12.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/1998/04/23/oth_226629.shtml#.V2WjuLgrKUk|title=WNBA expands to Orlando, Minnesota|agency=Associated Press|website=chronicle.augusta.com|access-date=2016-06-18|archive-date=August 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808075048/http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/1998/04/23/oth_226629.shtml#.V2WjuLgrKUk|url-status=dead}}</ref> The 1999 season began with a collective bargaining agreement between players and the league, marking the first collective bargaining agreement to be signed in the history of women's professional sports.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bowman |first=James |date=2014-02-08 |title=A history of the WNBA collective bargaining agreement |url=https://www.swishappeal.com/2014/2/8/5392956/a-history-of-the-wnba-collective-bargaining-agreement |access-date=2022-07-01 |work=Swish Appeal}}</ref> That year, the WNBA also announced that it would add four more teams for the 2000 season (the Indiana Fever, the Seattle Storm, the Miami Sol, and the Portland Fire), bringing the league up to 16 teams. WNBA president Val Ackerman discussed expansion by saying, "This won't be the end of it. We expect to keep growing the league."<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 8, 1999 |title=WNBA EXPANDS BY FOUR ... ARE MORE CITIES ON THE HORIZON? |url=http://m.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/1999/06/8/Leagues-Governing-Bodies/WNBA-EXPANDS-BY-FOUR-ARE-MORE-CITIES-ON-THE-HORIZON.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525154327/http://m.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/1999/06/8/Leagues-Governing-Bodies/WNBA-EXPANDS-BY-FOUR-ARE-MORE-CITIES-ON-THE-HORIZON.aspx |archive-date=May 25, 2017 |access-date=December 23, 2025 |website=Sports Business Daily |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1999, the league's chief competition, the American Basketball League (ABL), declared bankruptcy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Lena |date=April 2, 1999 |title=PRO BASKETBALL; Former Team Official Recounts the A.B.L.'s Dizzying Descent |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/02/sports/pro-basketball-former-team-official-recounts-the-abl-s-dizzying-descent.html |access-date=September 29, 2024 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> Many of the ABL's star players, including several Olympic gold medalists (such as Nikki McCray and Dawn Staley) and a number of standout college performers (including Kate Starbird and Jennifer Rizzotti), joined the rosters of WNBA teams, enhancing the overall quality of play in the league.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gentry |first=Dorothy J. |date=May 12, 2021 |title=The American Basketball League Helped Pave the Way for the WNBA |url=https://www.si.com/wnba/2021/05/12/american-basketball-league |access-date=December 1, 2024 |website=SI}}</ref>

On May 23, 2000, the Comets became the first women’s professional team to be invited to the White House Rose Garden.<ref name=":11" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 27, 2016 |title=WNBA Champions Visit the White House |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-champions-visit-the-white-house |access-date=August 21, 2025 |website=WNBA}}</ref> At the end of the 2000 season, the Comets won their fourth championship, capturing every title since the league's inception. Led by the "Big Three" of Cooper (who won the Finals MVP for all four championships), Swoopes, and Tina Thompson, the Comets dominated every team in the league.<ref name=":11">{{cite web|last=Walker|first=Rhiannon|url=https://andscape.com/features/houstons-comets-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-wnbas-first-dynasty/|title=Houston's Comets, the rise and fall of the WNBA's first dynasty|work=Andscape|date=October 18, 2016|accessdate=May 28, 2024}}</ref><ref name=Lieberman-2003>{{cite web|last=Lieberman|first=Nancy|author-link=Nancy Lieberman|url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/columns/lieberman/1792841.html|title= Shoulder forces Comets' Cooper to retire again|publisher=ESPN|date=May 2, 2003|orig-date=April 30, 2003|accessdate=May 28, 2024}}</ref> Under head coach Van Chancellor, the team posted a 98–24 record their first four seasons (16–3 in the playoffs). After 2000, Cooper retired from the league, and the Comets' dynasty came to an end.<ref name=Lieberman-2003/>

===L.A. Sparks success; new league ownership and contraction (2001–2002)===

[[File:LisaLeslieDec10.jpg|right|thumb|upright=0.6|Lisa Leslie, a three-time MVP and the first player to dunk in a WNBA game]]

The Los Angeles Sparks had the best record during the 2001 WNBA season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2001 Los Angeles Sparks Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/teams/LAS/2001.html |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref> Led by Lisa Leslie, the Sparks posted a regular-season record of 28–4 and advanced to their first WNBA Finals, sweeping the Charlotte Sting.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2001 WNBA Standings |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/teams/LAS/2001.html |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref>

Looking to repeat in 2002, the Sparks again made a strong run toward the postseason, going 25–7 in the regular season under head coach Michael Cooper. Again, Leslie dominated her opponents throughout the Playoffs, leading the Sparks to a perfect 6–0 record, beating the New York Liberty in the 2002 Finals.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2002 Los Angeles Sparks Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/teams/LAS/2002.html |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref>

Teams and the league were collectively owned by the NBA until the end of 2002,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rumsey |first=David |date=2023-10-15 |title=Should More WNBA Teams Be Associated With NBA Counterparts? |url=https://frontofficesports.com/should-more-wnba-teams-be-associated-with-nba-counterparts-one-owner-doesnt-think-so/ |access-date=2024-12-18 |work=Front Office Sports}}</ref> when the NBA sold WNBA teams either to their NBA counterparts in the same city or to a third party as a result of the dot-com bubble. This led to two teams moving: Utah moved to San Antonio,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marriott |first=Jonah |date=December 21, 2023 |title=The Utah Starzz: Salt Lake's Forgotten WNBA Franchise - |url=https://dailyutahchronicle.com/2023/12/21/utahs-wnba-franchise/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250628000028/https://dailyutahchronicle.com/2023/12/21/utahs-wnba-franchise/ |archive-date=June 28, 2025 |access-date=August 21, 2025 |website=Daily Utah Chronicle}}</ref> and Orlando moved to Connecticut<ref>{{Cite web |title=It's a Miracle! Connecticut Sun join league |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/news/2003/0128/1500144.html |access-date=August 21, 2025 |website=ESPN}}</ref> and became the first WNBA team to be owned by a third party instead of an NBA franchise. This sale of teams also led to two teams folding, the Miami Sol and Portland Fire, because new owners could not be found.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2002-11-27 |title=WNBA Franchise Miami Sol Folds |url=https://www.theintelligencer.com/news/article/WNBA-Franchise-Miami-Sol-Folds-10539950.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231011024545/https://www.theintelligencer.com/news/article/WNBA-Franchise-Miami-Sol-Folds-10539950.php |archive-date=October 11, 2023 |access-date=2025-08-21 |work=The Edwardsville Intelligencer |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2002-11-28 |title=PLUS: PRO BASKETBALL; W.N.B.A.'s Sol Forced to Fold |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/28/sports/plus-pro-basketball-wnba-s-sol-forced-to-fold.html |access-date=2025-08-21 |work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhanot |first=Arunima |date=2024-09-18 |title=Why Was the Portland Fire Folded in 2002, and Will the Latest WNBA Franchise Have the Same Name? |url=https://www.essentiallysports.com/wnba-basketball-news-why-was-the-portland-fire-folded-in-two-thousand-and-two-and-will-the-latest-wnba-franchise-have-the-same-name/ |access-date=2025-08-21 |work=EssentiallySports}}</ref>

===Bill Laimbeer leaves his mark (2003–2006)===

[[File:Lauren Jackson 2a.JPG|thumb|left|upright=0.6|Lauren Jackson, a three-time MVP and the most accomplished international player in league history]]

The Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) threatened to strike in 2003 if a new deal was not worked out between players and the league. The result was a delay in the start of the 2003 preseason and the 2003 WNBA draft. As a result of the strike, the league received negative publicity.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/16/sports/basketball/y16wnba.html |title=W.N.B.A., Going on 7, Has Grown-Up Labor Dispute |date=April 16, 2003 |last=Sandomir |first=Richard |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 13, 2011}}</ref>

Bill Laimbeer took over the Detroit Shock in 2002 as head coach and general manager. He had high hopes for the Shock, despite the team having gone just 9–23 its previous season. Three Shock members made it to the 2003 All-Star Game (Swin Cash, Cheryl Ford, and Deanna Nolan) and Laimbeer orchestrated a worst-to-first turnaround with the Shock finishing the season 25–9 and in first place in the Eastern Conference. In the 2003 Finals, the Shock defeated the Los Angeles Sparks 2–1, winning game three in front of a league-record crowd of 22,076.<ref name=":14" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Schindler |first=Mark |date=2023-03-15 |title=Women's History Month: The Defining Eras: The Detroit Shock |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/whm-defining-eras-detroit-shock |access-date=2026-01-15 |website=WNBA}}</ref>

After the 2003 season, the Cleveland Rockers, one of the league's original eight teams, folded because its owners were unwilling to continue operating the franchise.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ESPN.com: WNBA - Rocked: Cavaliers end ties with WNBA's Rockers |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/news/2003/0919/1619462.html |access-date=2025-07-24 |website=www.espn.com}}</ref>

[[File:Bird-20180912 (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|Sue Bird spent her entire WNBA career with the Seattle Storm and is the only player to win titles in three different decades.]]

The Seattle Storm had consecutive first-overall draft picks in 2001 and 2002, selecting Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird. The Storm's young core broke through in 2004, finishing second in the Western Conference and advancing to the Finals. In a battle of two first-time finalists, the Storm defeated the Connecticut Sun 2–1 and won their first WNBA title. Anne Donovan became the first female coach to guide a team to a WNBA championship.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tate |first=Cassandra |date=May 25, 2005 |title=Seattle Storm wins WNBA championship on October 12, 2004. |url=https://www.historylink.org/file/7330 |access-date=2026-01-19 |website=HistoryLink}}</ref>

Val Ackerman, the first WNBA president, resigned effective February 1, 2005, citing the desire to spend more time with her family. Ackerman later became president of USA Basketball. On February 15, 2005, NBA commissioner David Stern announced that Donna Orender, who had been serving as the senior vice president of the PGA Tour and who had played for several teams in the now-defunct Women's Pro Basketball League, would be Ackerman's successor as of April 2005.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WNBA.com: Donna Orender Named President of the WNBA |url=https://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/news/orender_release_050215.html |access-date=2025-07-24 |website=www.wnba.com}}</ref>

The WNBA awarded an expansion team to Chicago (later named the Chicago Sky) in February 2005.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-02-08 |title=Don't call 'em Cows: WNBA adds Chicago team |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/news/story?id=1987211 |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=WNBA.com: WNBA Expanding to Chicago in 2006 |url=https://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/news/chicago2006_release050208.html |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=www.wnba.com}}</ref> In the off-season, a set of rule changes was approved that made the WNBA more like the NBA.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-12-06 |title=WNBA rules changes: Quarters, 24-second shot clock |url=https://www.espn.in/wnba/news/story?id=2250190 |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=ESPN.com }}{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=WNBA.com: WNBA Announces Rule Changes for 2006 |url=https://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/news/rulechanges_051206.html |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=www.wnba.com}}</ref>

The 2005 Finals was the first one played in a best-of-five format. In another matchup between two teams seeking their first championship, the Sun came up short for the second consecutive year, falling in four games to the Sacramento Monarchs led by Yolanda Griffith.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2005 WNBA Playoffs|url=https://www.wnba.com/playoffs/2005 |access-date=2026-01-19 |website=WNBA |language=en}}</ref>

In 2006, the league reached a milestone as the first team-oriented women's professional sports league to exist for ten consecutive seasons.<ref name=":12" /> On the occasion of the tenth anniversary, the WNBA released its All-Decade Team, comprising the ten WNBA players who had contributed, through on-court play and off-court activities, the most to women's basketball during the league's existence.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-15 |title=WNBA Names All-Decade Team |url=https://fausports.com/news/2006/6/14/WNBA_Names_All_Decade_Team |access-date=2025-07-24 |work=Florida Atlantic University Athletics}}</ref>

The Shock bounced back in 2006 behind newly acquired Katie Smith, along with six remaining members from their 2003 championship run. The Shock finished second in the Eastern Conference and knocked out first-seeded Connecticut in the second round of the Playoffs. In the Finals, they faced reigning champion Sacramento, winning in Game Five on their home floor.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2006 WNBA Playoffs |url=https://www.wnba.com/playoffs/2006 |access-date=2026-01-15 |website=WNBA}}</ref> ===Bringing "Paul Ball" to the WNBA (2007–2009)===

[[File:Diana Taurasi 2024 (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|Diana Taurasi, the WNBA's all-time leading scorer, spent her entire 20-year WNBA career with the Phoenix Mercury.]]

In December 2006, the Charlotte Bobcats organization announced it would no longer operate the Charlotte Sting. Soon after, the WNBA announced that the Sting would not operate for 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-01-03 |title=Unable to find buyer, original Charlotte franchise folds |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/news/story?id=2718956 |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> A dispersal draft was held on January 8, 2007. Teams selected in inverse order of their 2006 records with the Chicago Sky receiving the first pick.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SHOCK: WNBA Holds Dispersal Draft for Former Members of the Charlotte Sting |url=https://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/shock/news/2007WNBADispersalDraft.html |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=www.wnba.com}}</ref>

The Phoenix Mercury hired coach Paul Westhead before the 2006 season. His up-tempo style of play was perfect for the team, especially after the league shortened the shot clock from 30 seconds to 24 seconds in 2006. Led by their "Big Three" of Cappie Pondexter, Diana Taurasi, and Penny Taylor, the Mercury averaged a league-record 89.0 points per game in 2007, far surpassing the previous record, and were propelled into first place in the Western Conference.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-08-28 |title=Westhead keeps WNBA’s Mercury running |url=https://www.dailynews.com/20070828/westhead-keeps-wnbas-mercury-running/ |access-date=2026-01-20 |website=Daily News}}</ref> Facing the reigning champions, the Detroit Shock, in the 2007 Finals, the Mercury beat Detroit on their home floor in front of 22,076 fans in game five to claim their first-ever WNBA title.<ref name=":14">{{Cite web |title=Data Explorer - Across the Timeline - Stats, facts, and memories from the storied history of women's basketball |url=https://acrossthetimeline.com/wnba/attendance.html#segment=Any&set=recordgames |access-date=2026-01-14 |website=www.acrossthetimeline.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2007 Phoenix Mercury: The Beginning of a Dynasty |url=https://mercury.wnba.com/news/2007-phoenix-mercury-the-beginning-of-a-dynasty |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=mercury.wnba.com}}</ref>

In October 2007, the WNBA awarded another expansion franchise to Atlanta.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=Staff |title=Atlanta becomes WNBA's 14th team |url=https://www.augustachronicle.com/story/sports/nba/2007/10/18/nba-148029-shtml/14694062007/ |access-date=2025-08-21 |work=The Augusta Chronicle}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=DREAM: WNBA Expands To Atlanta |url=https://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/dream/expansionrelease_071012.html |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=www.wnba.com}}</ref> Atlanta businessman Ron Terwilliger was the original owner of the new team. Citizens of Atlanta voted on the new team's nickname and colors, selecting the name Atlanta Dream.<ref name=DreamName>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wnba.com/dream/dream_080123.html|title=DREAM: Atlanta's WNBA Team Named Atlanta Dream|accessdate=April 30, 2024}}</ref>

During the 2008 regular season, the first-ever outdoor professional basketball game in North America, the Liberty Outdoor Classic, was played at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City. The Indiana Fever defeated the New York Liberty 71–55 in front of over 19,000 fans.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/sports/basketball/20liberty.html|title=Liberty Has Its Moment in History, if Not a Victory|last=Robbins|first=Liz|date=2008-07-20|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-12-22|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The First Regular Season Outdoor Game in Professional Basketball History|url=http://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/liberty/news/outdoor_classic_2008.html|access-date=15 September 2016}}</ref> In the 2008 Finals, the Shock swept the first-time finalists, the San Antonio Silver Stars, winning their third championship in six years under coach Bill Laimbeer.<ref>{{Cite web |last=HOUSEHOLDER |first=MIKE |title=No Shocker: Detroit wins third title in 6 seasons |url=https://www.hollandsentinel.com/story/sports/2008/10/06/no-shocker-detroit-wins-third/45258936007/ |access-date=2026-01-20 |website=The Holland Sentinel}}</ref> The victory effectively marked the end of the Shock dynasty, as Laimbeer resigned early in the 2009 season, with the team relocating shortly thereafter.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-06-15 |title=Laimbeer resigns as coach of WNBA's Shock |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/news/story?id=4260271 |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref>

[[File:Tamika_Catchings.jpg|thumb|upright=0.5|left|Tamika Catchings, a five-time Defensive Player of the Year, spent her entire WNBA career with the Indiana Fever.]]

Late in 2008, the WNBA took over ownership of one of the league's original franchises, the Houston Comets. The Comets ceased operations on December 1, 2008, after no owners for the franchise could be found.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2008-12-03 |title=W.N.B.A. Folds Its Houston Team Over Finances (Published 2008) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/sports/basketball/03wnba.html |access-date=2025-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-12-01 |title=Voepel: Comets will be missed, but the WNBA will go on |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/columns/story?columnist=voepel_mechelle&id=3738306 |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> A dispersal draft took place on December 8, 2008, with the first pick, Sancho Lyttle, taken by the Atlanta Dream.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2008-12-09 |title=Dispersal Draft for Comets Players (Published 2008) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/sports/basketball/09sportsbriefs-DISPERSALDRA_BRF.html |access-date=2025-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=WNBA.com: 2008 Houston Comets Dispersal Draft Analysis |url=https://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/features/comets_dispersal_analysis_081208.html |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=www.wnba.com}}</ref>

Westhead left the Mercury following the 2007 title, and the team faltered in 2008, becoming the first defending champion in league history to miss the playoffs. New head coach Corey Gaines implemented Westhead's style of play, and in the 2009, the Mercury once again broke their own record, averaging 92.8 points per game in the regular season. Helped by the return of Taylor, who missed the 2008 season and a large part of the 2009 season, the Mercury clinched first place in the Western Conference and advanced to the 2009 Finals.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-07-10 |title=Looking Back At The Mercury's 2009 Championship |url=https://www.si.com/wnba/mercury/phoenix-diana-taurasi-los-angeles-sparks-san-antonio-stars |access-date=2025-08-21 |work=Phoenix Mercury On SI}}</ref> The championship series was a battle of contrasting styles as the Mercury, number one league offense, had to face the Indiana Fever, number three league defense. Phoenix won Game One in overtime, 120–116, the highest scoring game in WNBA playoffs history, and defeated the Fever in five games, capturing their second WNBA championship.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-10-10 |title=Pondexter, Taurasi lead Mercury to WNBA title |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2009/10/10/pondexter-taurasi-lead-mercury-to-wnba-title/ |access-date=2026-01-20 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune}}</ref>

Not only did Paul Westhead's system influence his Mercury team, but it created a domino effect throughout the league. Young athletic players were capable of scoring more and playing at a faster pace. As a league, the 2010 average of 80.35 points per game was the best, far surpassing the 69.2 average in the league's inaugural season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2010 WNBA Season Summary |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/years/2010.html |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1997 WNBA Season Summary |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/years/1997.html |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref>

===Changing of the guard (2010–2012)===

{{multiple image|total_width = 300 | align = right | direction = horizontal | image1 = Augustus 20171004.jpg | width1 = | link1 = | caption1 = | alt1 = | image2 = Maya Moore (cropped).jpg | width2 = | link2 = | caption2 = | alt2 = | footer = Seimone Augustus and Maya Moore, two cornerstones of the Minnesota Lynx dynasty that won four titles between 2011 and 2017. }}

On October 20, 2009, the WNBA announced that the Detroit Shock would relocate to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to become the Tulsa Shock.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/news/story?id=4580057 |title=Shock makes move official |publisher=ESPN |date=October 20, 2009 |access-date=July 25, 2010}}</ref> On November 20, 2009, the WNBA announced that the Sacramento Monarchs had folded due to lack of support from its current owners, the Maloof family, who were also the owners of the Sacramento Kings at the time.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-11-20 |title=Monarchs fold; WNBA seeks Bay Area owners |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/news/story?id=4674978 |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> The league announced it would seek new owners to relocate the team to the San Francisco Bay Area; however, no ownership was found and a dispersal draft was held on December 14, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-12-15 |title=Powell top choice in Monarchs dispersal draft |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/news/story?id=4743780 |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=WNBA.com: Sacramento Monarchs Dispersal Draft Analysis |url=https://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/news/monarchs_dispersal_analysis_091214.html |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=www.wnba.com}}</ref> The folding of the Monarchs left the WNBA with twelve teams, a number that remained unchanged for the next fifteen seasons.

The 2010 season saw a tight race in the East, which held a .681 winning percentage over the West, its highest ever. However, it was a Western team, the Seattle Storm, who ultimately dominated the league. Led once again by the duo of Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson, the only players remaining from the 2004 championship team, the Storm finished 28–6 in the regular season and a perfect 7–0 in the playoffs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Drosendahl |first=Glenn |date=2010-10-14 |title=Seattle Storm wins its second WNBA championship on September 16, 2010 |url=https://historylink.org/file/9602 |access-date=2026-01-21 |website=HistoryLink}}</ref> Although the Storm swept the Atlanta Dream, the 2010 Finals were a close affair, with Seattle winning the three games by a combined eight points.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2010 WNBA Playoffs |url=https://www.wnba.com/playoffs/2010 |access-date=2026-01-21 |website=WNBA |language=}}</ref> The Dream, who had finished their inaugural 2008 season 4–30, made a quick turnaround behind the 2009 first-overall pick Angel McCoughtry and advanced to the Finals in only their third year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-09-07 |title=Voepel: Athletic Atlanta to test Storm |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/columns/story?columnist=voepel_mechelle&id=5542754 |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2010-09-17 |title=Storm sweep puts an end to Dream run |url=https://www.augustachronicle.com/story/sports/2010/09/17/storm-sweep-puts-end-dream-run/14582298007/ |access-date=2026-01-21 |website=The Augusta Chronicle |language=}}</ref>

After the 2010 season, President Orender announced she would be resigning from her position as of December 31.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-12-03 |title=WNBA commissioner Orender resigns from post |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/news/story?id=5879389 |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> On April 21, 2011, NBA commissioner David Stern announced that former Girl Scouts of the USA Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Laurel J. Richie, would assume duties as president on May 16, 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-04-21 |title=Veteran marketing exec Richie to lead WNBA |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/news/story?id=6402465 |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=ESPN |publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>

In their first eleven seasons in the league, the Minnesota Lynx saw little success, winning only one playoff game in total. Before the 2010 season, Cheryl Reeve took over as head coach, and the team added Rebekkah Brunson and Lindsay Whalen to support 2006 first-overall pick Seimone Augustus. The Lynx failed to make the playoffs once again in Reeve's first season, but were able to select Maya Moore with the first pick in the 2011 draft. The core of Augustus, Brunson, Moore, and Whalen would go on to make six Finals appearances and win four championships over the next seven years. Their first title came immediately in 2011, with the Lynx dominating the regular season and dropping only one game throughout their playoff run.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weese |first=Lukas |date=2021-06-21 |title=The beginning of a dynasty: An oral history of the Minnesota Lynx’s 2011 WNBA title |url=https://justwomenssports.com/reads/the-beginning-of-a-dynasty-an-oral-history-of-the-minnesota-lynxs-2011-wnba-title/ |access-date=2026-01-21 |website=Just Women's Sports |language=en}}</ref> In the 2011 Finals, the Dream were swept for the second straight year despite more heroics from McCoughtry, who set still-standing league records for most points in a playoff game (42) and in a Finals game (38) during the Dream's consecutive Finals appearances.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Brian |date=December 28, 2019 |title=WNBA Decade In Review: 2011 |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-decade-in-review-2011 |access-date=2026-01-21 |website=WNBA}}</ref>

The Lynx made it back to the 2012 Finals but fell in four games to the Indiana Fever, led by Tamika Catchings. In what was far from a smooth ride, the Fever had to stave off elimination in both of the first two rounds and lost their second-leading scorer, Katie Douglas, to injury along the way before ultimately capturing their first WNBA championship.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rourke |first=Brendan |date=2022-10-21 |title=Recapping the Fever's 2012 Championship Run: Championship Dreams Finally Come True |url=https://fever.wnba.com/news/recapping-the-fevers-2012-championship-run-championship-dreams-finally-come-true |access-date=2026-01-21 |website=Indiana Fever |publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC |language=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Brian |date=2019-12-28 |title=WNBA Decade In Review: 2012 |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-decade-in-review-2012 |access-date=2026-01-21 |website=WNBA |language=}}</ref>

===The "Three to See" (2013–2019)===

{{multiple image | total_width = 450 | align = left | direction = horizontal | image1 = Brittney Griner 3 (cropped2).jpg | width1 = | link1 = | caption1 = Brittney Griner | alt1 = | image2 = 20140814 Elena Delle Donne 2.jpg | width2 = | link2 = | caption2 = Elena Delle Donne | alt2 = | image3 = Skylar Diggins-Smith 2022 (cropped).jpg | width3 = | link3 = | caption3 = Skylar Diggins | alt3 = | footer = The top three picks of the 2013 WNBA draft, labeled "The Three To See". }}

The much-publicized 2013 WNBA draft produced Baylor center Brittney Griner, Delaware forward Elena Delle Donne, and Notre Dame guard Skylar Diggins as the top three picks. It was the first WNBA draft televised in prime time on ESPN after the league extended its TV deal with the network through 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Glass |first=Alana |title=WNBA, ESPN Extend Television Agreement, Announce Rebranding Initiative |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanaglass/2013/03/29/wnba-espn-extend-television-agreement-announce-rebranding-initiative/ |access-date=2025-08-21 |work=Forbes}}</ref> Griner, Delle Donne, and Diggins were thus labeled "The Three To See".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Voepel |first=Mechelle |date=2013-05-24 |title=3 To See ready for WNBA debuts |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/9306951/wnba-3-see-ready-wnba-debuts |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=ESPN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Glass |first=Alana |title=What To Watch: WNBA's '3 To See' Pushes Mainstream Interest To Its Tipping Point |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanaglass/2013/05/27/what-to-watch-wnbas-3-to-see-pushes-mainstream-interest-to-its-tipping-point/ |access-date=2025-08-21 |work=Forbes}}</ref> The retirement of legends Ticha Penicheiro, Katie Smith, Sheryl Swoopes, and Tina Thompson<ref>{{Cite web |last=P |first=Nate |date=2013-05-31 |title=Tina Thompson to retire at the end of 2013 WNBA season |url=https://www.swishappeal.com/2013/5/31/4384590/wnba-2013-tina-thompson-retirement |access-date=2025-08-21 |work=Swish Appeal}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Lady Monarch Great Ticha Penicheiro To Retire After 15 Year WNBA Career |url=https://odusports.com/news/2012/09/19/lady-monarch-great-ticha-penicheiro-to-retire-after-15-year-wnba-career-1 |access-date=2025-08-21 |work=Old Dominion Athletics}}</ref> coupled with the arrival of highly touted rookies and new rule changes effectively marked the end of an era for the WNBA and the ushering of another.<ref>{{Cite web |last=P |first=Nate |date=2013-03-28 |title=New logo, new era for the WNBA |url=https://www.swishappeal.com/2013/3/28/4158356/espn-nba-television-deal-2013-new-logo |access-date=2025-08-21 |work=Swish Appeal}}</ref> The promotion of "The Three To See" helped boost television ratings for the league by 28 percent, and half of the teams ended the 2013 season profitable.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ourand |first=John |last2=Karp |first2=Austin |date=April 12, 2024 |title=With rebound, WNBA solidifies spot at ESPN |url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2013/11/11/Media/By-The-Numbers.aspx |access-date=January 21, 2026 |website=Sports Business Journal |publisher=Leaders Group}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Lewis |first=Jon |date=February 8, 2014 |title=No, the WNBA is Not a Major Sport (And That's Fine) |url=http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2014/02/no-the-wnba-is-not-a-major-sport-and-thats-fine/ |access-date=January 21, 2026 |website=Sports Media Watch |publisher=}}</ref> The improved health of the league was on display after the season, when the Los Angeles Sparks' ownership group folded; it took the league only a few weeks to line up Guggenheim Partners to purchase the team, and the franchise also garnered interest from the ownership of the Golden State Warriors.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Voepel |first=Mechelle |date=2014-02-05 |title=New WNBA owners are magic Spark |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/10405573/wnba-los-angeles-sparks-wnba-benefit-new-ownership-group |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=ESPN}}</ref> On the court, the Minnesota Lynx won their second title in three years, sweeping the Atlanta Dream in the 2013 Finals.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Voepel |first=Mechelle| date=2013-10-10 |title=Lynx were the favorite all along |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/9804261/wnba-finals-minnesota-lynx-were-favorite-all-along |access-date=2026-01-26 |website=ESPN}}</ref>

This narrative was reinforced by the 2014 Finals, which featured a matchup between the Phoenix Mercury (led by Griner and Diana Taurasi) and the Chicago Sky (led by Delle Donne and Sylvia Fowles) and became the most-watched series since 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Jon |date=2014-09-19 |title=2014 WNBA Finals Hits Multi-Year Viewership High |url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2014/09/wnba-tv-ratings-finals-mercury-sky-griner-taurasi-delle-donne/ |access-date=2026-01-26 |website=Sports Media Watch}}</ref> The Mercury swept the first-time finalist Sky to cap a dominant season: they went 29–5 in the regular season, the best winning percentage since the 2001 Sparks.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nemchock |first=Eric |date=2019-11-05 |title=The Phoenix Mercury 2014 shined as the most dominant WNBA team of the decade |url=https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2019/11/5/20945938/wnba-team-of-the-decade-2014-phoenix-mercury |access-date=2026-01-26 |website=Swish Appeal}}</ref>

[[File:Sylvia Fowles 2022 (52283271158) (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|Sylvia Fowles, a two-time Finals MVP and four-time Defensive Player of the Year]]

However, the 2015 season began without several stars of the previous Finals. Taurasi was paid by her Russian club, where she played during the WNBA offseason, to sit out the season,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fagan|first=Kate|date=2015-02-04 |title=Diana Taurasi's decision to sit out should spark WNBA salary changes |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/12272036/diana-taurasi-decision-sit-spark-wnba-salary-changes |access-date=2026-01-26 |website=ESPN}}</ref> while Fowles refused to play for Chicago before she was traded to the Lynx in July.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Youngblood |first=Kent |title=After months of trying, Lynx finally land Fowles |url=https://www.startribune.com/after-months-of-trying-lynx-finally-land-fowles/318675481/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220626182202/https://www.startribune.com/after-months-of-trying-lynx-finally-land-fowles/318675481/ |archive-date=June 26, 2022 |access-date=2026-01-26 |work=Star Tribune |url-status=live }}</ref> That proved enough to swing the balance, as the Lynx returned to the top by defeating the Indiana Fever in five games in the 2015 Finals. Fowles was named Finals MVP, helping the Lynx avenge their 2012 defeat.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Youngblood |first=Kent |date=2015-10-16 |title=Dynasty: Lynx win WNBA championship on home court |url=https://www.startribune.com/dynasty-lynx-win-wnba-championship-on-home-court/332982161 |access-date=2026-01-26 |website=Star Tribune }}{{Dead link|date=May 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> After the 2015 season, the Tulsa Shock moved to the Dallas–Fort Worth region and were renamed the Dallas Wings.<ref>{{cite press release |title=WNBA Approves Relocation of Shock from Tulsa to Dallas–Fort Worth |date=July 23, 2015 |publisher=WNBA |url=http://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-approves-tulsa-shock-relocation-dallas-fort-worth/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-11-02 |title=WNBA Introduces Dallas Wings |url=https://www.slamonline.com/archives/wnba-introduces-dallas-wings/ |access-date=2025-08-21 |work=SLAM}}</ref> The league also saw another change in leadership, as president Laurel J. Richie left her position in November 2015<ref>{{Cite web |title=Laurel J. Richie To Depart WNBA |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/laurel-j-richie-to-depart-wnba |access-date=2026-01-27 |website=WNBA}}</ref> and was succeeded by Lisa Borders in February 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Voepel |first=Mechelle |date=2016-02-10 |title=WNBA names Coca-Cola executive Lisa Borders president |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/14753557/lisa-borders-becomes-fourth-president-wnba |access-date=2026-01-27 |website=ESPN}}</ref>

Beginning in 2016, the league abolished conference-based playoff seeding: the top eight teams by record, regardless of conference, advanced to the postseason, with the top two regular-season teams receiving byes directly to the semifinals.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-01-28 |title=WNBA Approves Significant Changes to Regular-Season and Playoff Formats |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/regular-season-playoff-format-changes-2016-season |access-date=2026-01-26 |website=WNBA |language=}}</ref> Coincidentally, the next two seasons were marked by a clear separation between two Western teams, the Lynx and the Los Angeles Sparks, and the rest of the league, culminating in back-to-back five-game Finals matchups.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shelburne| first=Ramona |date=2017-10-02 |title=Lynx-Sparks has grown into one of best rivalries in women's basketball history |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/20896940/minnesota-lynx-los-angeles-sparks-become-one-best-rivalries-wnba-history |access-date=2026-01-26 |website=ESPN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Winfield |first=Kristian |date=2018-05-20 |title=Sparks vs. Lynx has everything a rivalry needs — and more |url=https://www.sbnation.com/wnba/2018/5/20/17366110/sparks-vs-lynx-candace-parker-maya-moore-wnba-rivalry |access-date=2026-01-26 |website=SB Nation |language=en-US}}</ref> In the 2016 Finals, the Sparks, led by Candace Parker and Nneka Ogwumike, won their first championship since 2002, taking Game Five in Minnesota on a game-winning Ogwumike basket with 3.1 seconds left.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Czarnecki |first=Sandy |date=2016-10-21 |title=LA dethrones Minnesota — wins first Championship since 2002 |url=https://www.swishappeal.com/2016/10/20/13355240/parker-sparks-capture-long-awaited-wnba-title |access-date=2026-01-26 |website=Swish Appeal |language=en-US}}</ref> The Lynx earned their revenge in the 2017 Finals, defeating the Sparks in five games.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grenfell |first=Carly |date=2017-10-05 |title=It’s not over until it’s over! |url=https://www.swishappeal.com/2017/10/4/16428036/minnesota-lynx-crowned-2017-wnba-champions |access-date=2026-01-26 |website=Swish Appeal |language=en-US}}</ref> It marked Minnesota’s fourth title in seven years and the final chapter of the franchise’s dynasty, as after an unsuccessful 2018 season, Brunson, Moore, and Whalen all effectively retired from the league.

Following the 2017 season the San Antonio Stars moved to Nevada, becoming the Las Vegas Aces.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WNBA Announces Relocation of San Antonio Stars to Las Vegas - WNBA |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-team-las-vegas-san-antonio-stars-relocation |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=WNBA |publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=MGM Resorts Selects 'Las Vegas Aces' as New Name for WNBA Franchise - WNBA |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/mgm-resorts-selects-las-vegas-aces-new-name-wnba-franchise |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=WNBA |publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC}}</ref> In October 2018, Borders stepped down as president.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WNBA President Lisa Borders Steps Down to Become First-Ever President & CEO of Time's Up |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-president-lisa-borders-steps-down-president-ceo-times-up/amp |access-date=2026-01-27 |website=WNBA}}</ref> Mark Tatum served as interim president until May 2019, when Cathy Engelbert was named WNBA commissioner, a role that replaced the league’s president title.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Voepel |first=Mechelle |date=2019-05-15 |title=WNBA tabs CEO Engelbert as 1st commissioner |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/26754371/wnba-tabs-ceo-engelbert-1st-commissioner |access-date=2026-01-27 |website=ESPN}}</ref>

[[File:Breanna Stewart WNBA Finals 2024 (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|Breanna Stewart, a two-time MVP and three-time champion with the Seattle Storm and New York Liberty|left]]

After their 2010 championship, the Seattle Storm posted only one winning season in the next seven years. However, that put them in position to draft back-to-back No. 1 overall picks for the second time in franchise history: Jewell Loyd in 2015 and Breanna Stewart in 2016. Alongside the ageless Sue Bird, they returned the Storm to the top in 2018. Their toughest playoff test came in a five-game semifinal series against the Mercury.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Calkins |first=Matt |date=2018-09-04 |title=One for the ages: Storm gets crown jewel in classic WNBA semifinals victory over Phoenix |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/storm/one-for-the-ages-storm-gets-crown-jewel-in-classic-wnba-victory-over-phoenix/ |access-date=2026-01-27 |website=The Seattle Times}}</ref> In the Finals, Seattle swept the first-time finalist Washington Mystics, led by Delle Donne, who had been traded to Washington a year earlier.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Ryan |date=2018-09-13 |title=Seattle Storm cruise to third title, sweep Washington Mystics in WNBA Finals |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/seattle-storm-cruise-third-title-sweep-washington-mystics-wnba-finals-020200181.html |access-date=2026-01-27 |website=Yahoo Sports}}</ref>

With Stewart and Bird missing the 2019 season due to injuries, the Mystics dominated the regular season behind Delle Donne's MVP campaign and the first 50-40-90 season in WNBA history. Led by Mike Thibault, the winningest coach in WNBA history, the Mystics ran the best offense in league history,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Brian |date=2019-08-23 |title=WNBA Stats: Washington’s Historic Offense |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-stats-washingtons-historic-offense |access-date=2026-01-27 |website=WNBA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ariail |first=Cat |date=2019-10-14 |title=An appreciation of the Washington Mystics and their historic championship WNBA season |url=https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2019/10/14/20911648/wnba-washington-mystics-finals-champion-season-review-elena-delle-donne-mvp-emma-meesseman |access-date=2026-01-27 |website=Swish Appeal}}</ref> and returned to the Finals for a second straight year. There, they faced the Connecticut Sun, who reached the Finals for the first time since 2005—coincidentally, then coached by Thibault. The Mystics prevailed in five games to win the first championship in franchise history, as well as the first for Delle Donne and Thibault.<ref>{{Cite web |last= Negley|first=Cassandra |date=2019-10-11 |title=Mystics win first championship in franchise history with 89-78 victory over Sun |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba-finals-washington-mystics-win-first-championship-game-5-sun-delle-donne-thibault-020300190.html |access-date=2026-01-27 |website=Yahoo Sports}}</ref>

=== New collective bargaining agreement and expansion (2020–2023) === During the 2018 season, the WNBA players' union opted out of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the league, which ended after the 2019 season. In January 2020, the league and union announced that they had reached an agreement on a new CBA to take effect with the 2020 season and running through 2027, with an opt-out after 2025. The agreement increased player compensation by more than 50% and expanded benefits, including fully paid maternity leave. It also broadened free‑agency rights. In addition, the CBA introduced a "prioritization" clause that penalizes veteran players who report late to WNBA training camp after returning from overseas play.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-and-wnbpa-reach-tentative-agreement-on-groundbreaking-eight-year-collective-bargaining-agreement/ |title=WNBA And WNBPA Reach Tentative Agreement On Groundbreaking Eight-Year Collective Bargaining Agreement |publisher=WNBA |date=January 14, 2020 |access-date=January 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Voepel |first=Mechelle |date=January 14, 2020 |title=What the new CBA means to the WNBA and its players |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/28482619/what-new-cba-means-wnba-players |access-date=January 29, 2020 |website=ESPN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Caple |first=Jim |title=For WNBA stars who play overseas, positives outweigh negatives |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wnba-stars-play-overseas-positives-outweigh-negatives/story?id=45034501 |access-date=2025-08-21 |work=ABC News}}</ref>

Also in January 2020, the WNBA announced a new in-season tournament, the Commissioner's Cup, originally slated to debut in the 2020 season.<ref>{{cite news |date=January 16, 2020 |title=WNBA expands to 36-game schedule, adds Commissioner's Cup |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/28497496/wnba-expands-36-game-schedule-adds-commissioner-cup |access-date=January 29, 2020 |website=ESPN |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> On April 3, the WNBA announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the beginning of the 2020 season would be postponed. The 2020 entry draft took place as originally scheduled on April 17, although it was done remotely.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 3, 2020 |title=WNBA Statement Regarding the Start of the 2020 Regular Season |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-statement-regarding-the-start-of-the-2020-regular-season/ |access-date=January 21, 2026 |website=WNBA}}</ref> In June, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced plans for a 22‑game regular season beginning in July, with a traditional playoff format, to be held exclusively at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. The players were housed at the Bradenton complex, and all games and practices took place there.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Valenzuela |first=Sarah |date=June 15, 2020 |title=WNBA season to play out in Florida at IMG Academy |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/ny-wnba-season-coronavirus-20200615-ryraxknizvgt5btkrripckwuxa-story.html |access-date=2020-08-01 |website=New York Daily News}}</ref> Several players opted out for medical or personal reasons.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maloney |first=Jack |date=2020-07-18 |title=WNBA 2020 season: Jonquel Jones, Liz Cambage, Tina Charles among players sitting out |url=https://www.cbssports.com/wnba/news/wnba-2020-season-jonquel-jones-liz-cambage-tina-charles-among-players-sitting-out/ |access-date=2026-02-02 |website=CBS Sports}}</ref> The reigning champion Mystics were particularly affected, Delle Donne among those absent, and barely made the playoffs. The shortened regular season was largely dominated by the Seattle Storm and the Las Vegas Aces, who ultimately met in the Finals. It was the Aces franchise's first Finals appearance since 2008, and their first since relocating to Las Vegas. The Storm, back at full strength, swept their playoff run to win their second title in three years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allen| first=Percy |date=2020-10-06 |title=CHAMPS! Seattle Storm completes sweep of Aces to capture fourth WNBA title |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/storm/champs-seattle-storm-completes-sweep-of-aces-to-capture-fourth-wnba-title/ |access-date=2026-02-02 |website=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

On March 15, 2021, an announcement was made that the WNBA would introduce a ceremonial logo, basketball, and uniforms as part of its 25th anniversary celebratory campaign called "Count It".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Voepel |first=Mechelle |date=2021-03-15 |title=WNBA unveils new logo for 'Count It' campaign |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/31069278/wnba-unveils-new-logo-basketball-uniforms-part-count-campaign-celebration-25th-anniversary-season |access-date=2021-03-15 |website=ESPN |language=en}}</ref> As part of the campaign, the league unveiled The W25, a list of 25 players determined to be the league's greatest and most influential, as chosen by a panel of media and pioneering women's players.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-continues-celebration-of-landmark-25th-season-names-greatest-players-in-league-history-the-w25/ |title=WNBA Continues Celebration Of Landmark 25th Season, Names Greatest Players In League History, "The W25" |publisher=WNBA |date=September 5, 2021 |accessdate=October 18, 2021}}</ref>

[[File:Candace Parker Chicago Sky 2021 (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|Candace Parker, the only player to win the MVP award as a rookie and the only player to win championships with three different teams.]]

The 2021 season largely returned to normal conditions and featured a 32‑game regular season with a month‑long Olympic break for the postponed 2020 Summer Olympics.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Feinberg|first=Doug|date=2021-04-13|title=WNBA to play 32-game schedule, has month break for Olympics|url=https://apnews.com/article/olympic-games-coronavirus-pandemic-las-vegas-efa36bd7c1d9dc28fb038b70ab10a191|url-status=live|access-date=2026-02-04|website=AP NEWS|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504135028/https://apnews.com/article/olympic-games-coronavirus-pandemic-las-vegas-efa36bd7c1d9dc28fb038b70ab10a191|archive-date=2021-05-04}}</ref> The Commissioner's Cup officially debuted that year.<ref>{{cite press release |title=WNBA Announces Innovative Blueprint, New Partnerships and Significant Prize Pool for Inaugural Commissioner's Cup |date=May 12, 2021 |publisher=WNBA |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-announces-innovative-blueprint-new-partnerships-and-significant-prize-pool-for-inaugural-commissioners-cup/ |accessdate=May 15, 2021}}</ref> The inaugural Cup Final, held on August 12 as the first game after the Olympic break, was streamed via Amazon Prime Video, and the reigning WNBA champions, the Seattle Storm, won the first edition by defeating the Connecticut Sun.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ward |first=Zack |date=2021-08-13 |title=Stewart brilliant again in championship setting, Storm triumphant |url=https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2021/8/13/22622963/wnba-seattle-storm-commissioners-cup-champions-connecticut-sun-breanna-stewart-jewell-loyd-sue-bird |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=Swish Appeal}}</ref> But neither team replicated its success in the playoffs, and in a season full of twists, the 2021 WNBA Finals produced a rematch of the 2014 Finals between the fifth-seeded Phoenix Mercury and the sixth-seeded Chicago Sky. Benefiting from expanded free‑agency rights under the new CBA, the Sky were able to sign Candace Parker before the season to bolster their established core.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cash |first=Meredith |title=Candace Parker consulted Kevin Durant and Dwyane Wade ahead of landmark WNBA free agency decision |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/candace-parker-kevin-durant-dwyane-wade-wnba-free-agency-move-2021-2 |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=Business Insider}}</ref> Chicago prevailed in four games to win the first championship in franchise history.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-17 |title=CHICAGO SKY WIN 2021 WNBA CHAMPIONSHIP! |url=https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2021/10/17/22731494/wnba-chicago-sky-champions-finals-championship-candace-parker-allie-quigley-hometown-vandersloot |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=Swish Appeal}}</ref>

In February 2022, the league raised $75 million in capital, on terms valuing the league at $475 million. Under the deal, investors received 16 percent of the league's equity. In mid-2022, commissioner Cathy Engelbert confirmed that the league was actively considering expansion.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Jennings |first=Chantel |last2=Vorkunov |first2=Mike |date=October 4, 2023 |title=Exclusive: WNBA expansion to add up to 2 teams before 2024 season |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/3343324/2022/06/02/wnba-expansion-possible-cities/ |access-date=2023-10-06 |work=The New York Times}}</ref>

[[File:A'ja Wilson (53756794398) (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|left|A'ja Wilson, a four-time MVP and three-time champion with the Las Vegas Aces]]

Before the 2022 season, the Las Vegas Aces signed head coach Becky Hammon to a then‑unprecedented $1 million annual salary.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ariail |first=Cat |date=2022-02-08 |title=Will Aces’ owner Mark Davis’ comments spark a movement for increased pay for coaches and players in the WNBA? |url=https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2022/2/8/22920599/wnba-aces-owner-mark-davis-coach-player-pay-becky-hammon-million-dollar-contract-liz-cambage-wilson |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=Swish Appeal}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Greenberg |first=Doug |date=2022-09-19 |title=Las Vegas Aces’ Record Investment in Becky Hammon Pays Off |url=https://frontofficesports.com/las-vegas-aces-record-investment-in-becky-hammon-pays-off/ |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=Front Office Sports}}</ref> The move was the latest in a series of ambitious investments by the team's new owner, Mark Davis, who purchased the franchise in February 2021,<ref>{{Cite web |title=WNBA Approves Sale Of The Las Vegas Aces To Mark Davis |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-approves-sale-of-the-las-vegas-aces-to-mark-davis |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=WNBA|date=2021-02-12}}</ref> including the construction of a $40 million dedicated training facility, the first of its kind in the league.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Armour |first=Nancy |date=2021-02-15 |title=Opinion: NFL owner's purchase of WNBA team signals growth potential for women's sports |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/nancy-armour/2021/02/15/raiders-mark-davis-wnba-womens-sports-las-vegas-aces/4483312001/ |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=USA TODAY}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Negley |first=Cassandra |date=2023-02-08 |title=Aces reportedly under investigation for Mark Davis' latest attempt to circumvent CBA in support of players |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/aces-reportedly-under-investigation-for-mark-davis-latest-attempt-to-circumvent-cba-in-support-of-players-163710423.html |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=Yahoo Sports}}</ref> The Aces' core included consecutive first-overall picks from 2017 to 2019—Kelsey Plum, A'ja Wilson, and Jackie Young—along with Chelsea Gray, whom they signed in free agency in 2021. In 2022, with the regular season expanded to 36 games, Las Vegas finished with the best regular‑season record and won the Commissioner's Cup. That season, the playoff format reverted to a traditional bracket without byes for top seeds and with a best‑of‑three first round. The Aces advanced to the Finals and defeated the Connecticut Sun in four games to win the first championship in franchise history.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Walter |first=Matthew |date=2022-09-19 |title=How Las Vegas captured the 2022 WNBA title |url=https://www.thenexthoops.com/features/las-vegas-aces-capture-2022-wnba-title/ |access-date=2026-02-09 |website=The IX Basketball}}</ref>

The 2023 season was widely framed as a battle between two "superteams": the Aces and the New York Liberty. The Aces added Candace Parker in free agency, while the Liberty signed free agents Breanna Stewart and Courtney Vandersloot and traded for Jonquel Jones, joining 2020 first-overall pick Sabrina Ionescu in New York.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-02-22 |title=WNBA free agency 2023: Biggest winners and losers |url=https://justwomenssports.com/reads/wnba-free-agency-2023-winners-losers-new-york-liberty/ |access-date=2026-02-09 |website=Just Women's Sports |language=en}}</ref> The two franchises were frequently cited as examples of increased owner investment, and both drew league scrutiny, resulting in investigations or penalties, for providing player benefits beyond those stipulated by the CBA.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=D’Arcangelo |first1=Lyndsey |last2=Galligan |first2=Rachel |date=2023-05-18 |title=Superteam era: The good and the bad in the WNBA’s 27th year |url=https://justwomenssports.com/reads/wnba-superteams-new-york-liberty-las-vegas-aces-cba/ |access-date=2026-02-09 |website=Just Women's Sports |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Barnes |first=Katie |date=2024-09-22 |title=Las Vegas Aces' WNBA three-peat bid tangled in controversy |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/41342934/wnba-champion-las-vegas-aces-playoffs-three-peat-bid |access-date=2026-02-09 |website=ESPN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Graham |first=Bryan Armen |date=2024-10-21 |title=The New York Liberty show investment in women’s sports is simply good business |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/oct/21/clara-wu-tsai-new-york-liberty-culture-investment-ownership |access-date=2026-02-09 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> That year, the league expanded the regular‑season schedule to 40 games. The season largely matched expectations: the two teams met in the Commissioner's Cup Final, which the Liberty won, and then again in the WNBA Finals.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Philippou |first=Alexa |date=2023-10-01 |title=Liberty eliminate Sun, to face Aces in superteam showdown |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/38541937/liberty-eliminate-sun-face-aces-super-team-showdown |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=ESPN}}</ref> Despite playing without Parker throughout the playoffs and losing two starters to injury during the Finals, the Aces defeated the Liberty in four games and became the first repeat champions since the 2001–02 Los Angeles Sparks.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lev |first=Jacob |date=2023-10-19 |title=Las Vegas Aces become WNBA’s 1st repeat champions in 21 years |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/18/sport/las-vegas-aces-wnba-champions |access-date=2026-02-09 |website=CNN}}</ref> The regular season was the most-watched in 21 years and the Finals were the most-watched since 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Masunaga |first=Samantha |last2=Nguyen |first2=Thuc Nhi |date=2023-10-08 |title=Is the WNBA witnessing the big breakthrough it's been waiting for? |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2023-10-08/wnba-finals-viewership-growth-earnings-revenue-potential |access-date=2026-02-09 |website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Jon |date=2023-10-19 |title=WNBA Finals is most-watched in 20 years |url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/10/wnba-finals-ratings-most-watched-20-years-aces-liberty-viewership/ |access-date=2026-02-09 |website=Sports Media Watch}}</ref>

On October 5, 2023, the WNBA announced an agreement with the owners of the NBA's Golden State Warriors to bring a team to San Francisco, with a reported $50 million expansion fee payable over ten years.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thompson II |first=Marcus |date=September 26, 2023 |title=Warriors finalizing agreement to bring WNBA team to Bay Area: Sources |work=The Athletic |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4902855/2023/09/26/warriors-wnba-bay-area/ |access-date=September 27, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Soshnick |first=Scott |last2=Novy-Williams |first2=Eben |date=2023-10-05 |title=Warriors to Pay Record $50M to Secure WNBA Expansion Team |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-commit-record-50m-secure-170752570.html |access-date=2023-10-06 |work=Yahoo Sports}}</ref> The Golden State Valkyries became the league's first expansion team since the Atlanta Dream in 2008 and joined as the thirteenth team in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WNBA expansion team awarded to Bay Area, will begin play in 2025 |url=https://www.nba.com/news/wnba-expansion-team-bay-area-2025 |access-date=2023-10-06 |website=NBA}}</ref> On May 23, 2024, the league announced that the Kilmer Group had acquired a franchise based in Toronto that will debut in 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Molski |first=Max |date=2024-05-10 |title=WNBA adding Toronto expansion team in 2026: Reports |url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/sports/wnba-toronto-expansion-team-2026-report/5401883/ |access-date=2024-05-15 |work=NBC New York}}</ref> On September 18, 2024, the league announced that the Bhathal family, owners of the Portland Thorns of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), had acquired a franchise based in Portland that will also debut in 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Highkin |first=Sean |date=2024-08-31 |title=Sources: Bhathal Family Lands Portland WNBA Expansion Team |url=https://www.rosegardenreport.com/p/sources-bhathal-family-lands-portland |access-date=2024-09-06 |work=The Rose Garden Report}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Oram |first=Bill |date=September 18, 2024 |title=Portland lands WNBA expansion franchise set to play in 2026 |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/2024/09/portland-lands-wnba-expansion-franchise-set-to-play-in-2026.html |work=The Oregonian |accessdate=July 1, 2025}}</ref>

===Popularity surge and further expansion plans (2024–present)===

{{multiple image | total_width = 450 | align = right | direction = horizontal | image1 = Caitlin Clark Fever (cropped).jpg | width1 = | link1 = | caption1 = Caitlin Clark | alt1 = | image2 = Angel Reese September 2024 (cropped).jpg | width2 = | link2 = | caption2 = Angel Reese | alt2 = | image3 = Paige Bueckers 2025 4 (cropped).jpg | width3 = | link3 = | caption3 = Paige Bueckers | alt3 = | footer = Clark, Reese, and Bueckers were widely viewed as three of the leading new faces of the 2024–25 popularity surge. }}

The 2024 draft drew unprecedented attention amid surging interest and record viewership in women's college basketball, particularly the 2023 and 2024 NCAA championship games. The draft class was led by first-overall pick Caitlin Clark, widely regarded as the main driver of the surge in attention, and featured other highly followed players, including Angel Reese. The draft averaged 2.45 million viewers, more than four times the previous record for a WNBA draft.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lewis|first=Jon|date=2024-04-16|title=The Clark craze continues: WNBA Draft scores league's top audience since 2000|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2024/04/wnba-draft-ratings-record-most-watched-league-event-since-2000/|access-date=2026-02-10|website=Sports Media Watch}}</ref> It was the first of numerous viewership records set during the record-setting 2024 season, the majority of which involved Clark's Indiana Fever; games featuring both Clark and Reese proved a particular draw.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brito |first=Santa |date=2024-10-25 |title=The 2024 WNBA season delivers record viewership across ESPN platforms |url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2024/10/the-2024-wnba-season-delivers-record-viewership-across-espn-platforms/ |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=ESPN Press Room U.S.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Costabile |first=Annie |date=2024-06-25 |title=Sky-Fever game breaks WNBA viewership record for second weekend in a row |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-sky-and-wnba/2024/06/25/sky-fever-tv-ratings-wnba-2024-angel-reese |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=Chicago Sun-Times}}</ref> The 2024 All-Star Game averaged 3.44 million viewers, delivering the league's largest audience since its opening weekend in 1997.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Jon |date=2024-07-23 |title=WNBA scores biggest audience since inaugural weekend for All-Star Game |url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2024/07/wnba-all-star-game-record-audience-most-watched-since-inaugural-weekend/ |access-date=2026-02-16 |website=Sports Media Watch}}</ref> Attendance also rose, with the league and individual teams setting multiple highs, including a regular‑season record of 20,711 for a Mystics–Fever game in Washington.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Adgate |first=Brad |title=WNBA Ratings, Attendance And Advertising Grew In 2024 |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradadgate/2024/09/30/in-2024-the-wnba-had-increases-in-ratings-attendance--advertisers/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251017113003/https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradadgate/2024/09/30/in-2024-the-wnba-had-increases-in-ratings-attendance--advertisers/ |archive-date=October 17, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-10 |work=Forbes |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-27 |title=WNBA Delivers Record-Setting 2024 Season |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-delivers-record-setting-2024-season |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=WNBA}}</ref> In July 2024, the league announced a new 11-year media deal worth $2.2 billion.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Philippou |first=Alexa |date=2024-07-24 |title=WNBA secures 'monumental' media deal with Disney, Amazon, NBCU |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/40634341/wnba-secures-monumental-media-deal-disney-amazon-nbcu |access-date=2026-02-17 |website=ESPN}}</ref>

In 2024, the reigning champions, the Las Vegas Aces, faltered despite a historic season by A'ja Wilson.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Morse |first=Ben |date=2024-09-22 |title=Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson named unanimous 2024 WNBA MVP after historic season |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/22/sport/aja-wilson-third-wnba-mvp-spt-intl |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=CNN}}</ref> The New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx squared off in both the Commissioner's Cup Final, which the Lynx won, and the WNBA Finals. The five-game Finals were one of the closest in history, with two games going to overtime and two others decided by a single possession. For the first time in WNBA Finals history, a decisive Game Five went to overtime. The Liberty ultimately prevailed, after a controversial ending,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Philippou |first=Alexa |date=2024-10-21 |title=Cheryl Reeve blasts officiating, says title 'stolen' from Lynx |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/41917031/cheryl-reeve-blasts-officiating-says-title-stolen-lynx |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=ESPN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sterling |first=Wayne |date=2024-10-22 |title=Controversial call in WNBA Finals decider still irks Minnesota Lynx |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/22/sport/wnba-minnesota-lynx-unjust-foul-call-spt-intl |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Stechyson |first=Natalie |date=2024-10-21 |title='Stolen from us': Record WNBA season ends on foul note after coach blasts officiating |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball/wnba-final-foul-1.7357957 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250724151151/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball/wnba-final-foul-1.7357957 |archive-date=July 24, 2025 |access-date=2026-02-10 |work=CBC |url-status=live }}</ref> to win the first championship in franchise history.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Philippou |first=Alexa |date=2024-10-21 |title=Liberty title, epic WNBA Finals fitting end to transcendent season |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/41917030/wnba-finals-2024-new-york-liberty-minnesota-lynx-championship-jonquel-jones-breanna-stewart-sabrina-ionescu |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=ESPN}}</ref> The playoffs were no exception to the rising interest, and the Finals drew their largest audience in 25 years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Jon |date=2024-10-22 |title=WNBA Finals scores top audience in 25 years for final game |url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2024/10/liberty-lynx-game-5-most-watched-wnba-finals-game-since-1999/ |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=Sports Media Watch}}</ref>

With the Golden State Valkyries joining the league, the 2025 season expanded to 44 games. Despite Clark and other stars missing significant time due to injuries, the league largely sustained upward trends in interest, viewership, and attendance,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clinkscales |first=Jason |date=2025-07-18 |title=WNBA National Viewership Up Despite Clark’s Injury Absences |url=https://www.sportico.com/leagues/basketball/2025/wnba-national-ratings-rise-despite-caitlin-clark-injuries-1234863063/ |access-date=2026-02-16 |website=Sportico}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Jon |date=2025-09-15 |title=WNBA viewership hits high largely without Clark, but with caveats |url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2025/09/wnba-regular-season-viewership-hits-high-big-data-caitlin-clark/ |access-date=2026-02-16 |website=Sports Media Watch}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Salao |first=Colin |date=2025-09-09 |title=WNBA Breaks 3M Attendance Mark in Season’s Final Week |url=https://frontofficesports.com/wnba-breaks-3m-attendance-milestone-in-seasons-final-week/ |access-date=2026-02-16 |website=Front Office Sports}}</ref> highlighted by the Valkyries immediately setting attendance records.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Salao |first=Colin |date=2025-09-07 |title=Valkyries Set WNBA Attendance Record in Inaugural Season |url=https://frontofficesports.com/valkyries-set-wnba-attendance-record-in-inaugural-season/ |access-date=2026-02-16 |website=Front Office Sports}}</ref> Investment continued to rise across the league, and by the end of 2025 more than half of franchises had either opened or announced dedicated training facilities.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Philippou |first=Alexa |date=2025-09-24 |title=WNBA's Sparks planning to build $150M practice facility |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/46368569/wnba-sparks-planning-build-150m-practice-facility |access-date=2026-02-09 |website=ESPN}}</ref> On August 15, 2025, the Seattle Storm and the Atlanta Dream played the first-ever international WNBA regular-season game at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leite |first=Chelsea |date=2025-08-16 |title=Vancouver enjoys WNBA's last Canada game before Tempo debut |url=https://www.thenexthoops.com/wnba/vancouver-last-wnba-canada-game-before-toronto-tempo-expansion/ |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=The IX Basketball}}</ref> The Lynx topped the regular‑season standings, but were upset by the Fever in the Commissioner's Cup Final and by the Phoenix Mercury in the playoffs. In the WNBA Finals, played in a best-of-seven format for the first time, the Mercury faced the Aces. Las Vegas struggled midseason but closed the regular season on a 16-game win streak,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jenkins |first=Keith |date=2025-09-15 |title=What are the longest winning streaks in WNBA history? |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/46098010/what-longest-winning-streaks-wnba-history |access-date=2026-02-16 |website=ESPN}}</ref> with Wilson earning a record fourth MVP.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barton |first=Jamie |last2=Bantock |first2=Jack |date=2025-09-21 |title=A’ja Wilson named WNBA MVP for record-breaking fourth time |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/21/sport/basketball-wnba-aja-wilson-fourth-mvp-intl |access-date=2026-02-16 |website=CNN}}</ref> The Aces swept the Mercury to claim their third title in four years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Voepel |first=Michael |date=2025-10-11 |title=Aces sweep Mercury in 4 games to win 2025 WNBA championship |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/46556964/las-vegas-aces-sweep-phoenix-mercury-4-games-win-2025-wnba-championship |access-date=2026-02-16 |website=ESPN}}</ref>

On June 30, 2025, the WNBA announced expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia. The Cleveland team is scheduled to begin play in 2028, followed by Detroit in 2029, and Philadelphia in 2030.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lewis |first=Russell |date=June 30, 2025 |title=The WNBA is expanding again, adding 3 new cities for a record 18 teams |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/06/30/nx-s1-5451412/wnba-expansion-cleveland-detroit-philadelphia-three-teams |publisher=NPR |accessdate=July 1, 2025}}</ref>

==== New Collective Bargaining Agreement ==== In July 2025, during the WNBA All-Star Weekend, the WNBA players union and the league officials had a meeting regarding a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Voepel |first=Mechelle |last2=Pelton |first2=Kevin |date=2025-08-06 |title=WNBA's CBA negotiations: Why revenue sharing is priority No. 1 and whether a lockout is realistic |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/45901210/wnba-2025-collective-bargaining-agreement-cba-negotiations-salaries-rev-shares-lockout |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=ESPN}}</ref> The CBA, which was signed in 2020, was set to expire in 2027, but in October 2024 the WNBPA exercised its right to opt out of the agreement, effective on October 31, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Voepel |first=Michael |last2=Philippou |first2=Alexa |date=2024-10-21 |title=WNBA players opt out of CBA: How it will impact 2025 season, free agency -- and what players are asking for |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/41929722/wnba-opt-cba-collective-bargaining-agreement-wnbpa-players-union-2025-season |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=ESPN}}</ref> More than 40 players were present at the meeting, which they described as a "missed opportunity",<ref name=":10" /> as both sides did not get any closer to a new deal. Meanwhile, Engelbert painted the conversation as "very constructive".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Casselberry |first=Ian |date=2025-07-18 |title=WNBA players call league's current proposal 'unsustainable,' stay 'committed to the fight' for better CBA |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba/breaking-news/article/wnba-players-call-leagues-current-proposal-unsustainable-stay-committed-to-the-fight-for-better-cba-225635515.html |access-date=2025-08-21 |work=Yahoo Sports}}</ref> Players had said that revenue sharing, salary structure, and prioritization were some of the key issues that they did not agree on.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Voepel |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Voepel |date=2025-07-18 |title=WNBA players rue 'wasted' CBA talks with league |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/45770877/wnba-players-stand-firm-wasted-cba-talks-league |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=ESPN}}</ref> On July 19, before the All-Star Game, all players wore "Pay Us What You Owe Us" T-shirts during warmups and fans chanted "pay them!" in support after the game.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Andrews |first=Kendra |last2=Philippou |first2=Alexa |date=2025-07-20 |title=WNBA stars wear 'Pay Us What You Owe Us' shirts |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/45778770/wnba-all-stars-wear-pay-us-owe-us-warmup-shirts |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=ESPN}}</ref> In August, representatives of the WNBA and the WNBPA had another meeting in New York to continue the negotiations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Eric |date=2025-08-08 |title=WNBA CBA Meetings Resume Amid Investor Clamor for Sun Sale |url=https://www.sportico.com/leagues/basketball/2025/wnba-cba-meetings-resume-connecticut-sun-sale-1234866393/ |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=Sportico}}</ref> On October 30, the WNBA and the WNBPA agreed to an extension, pushing the deadline for the CBA expiration for 30 days, until November 30.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pickman |first=Ben |date=2025-10-31 |title=WNBA and players union agree to extension for CBA negotiations |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6765085/2025/10/30/wnba-players-union-extension-cba/ |access-date=2025-12-04 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> On November 30, the WNBA and the WNBPA agreed to a second extension, pushing expiration deadline until January 9, 2026.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pickman |first=Ben |date=2025-12-01 |title=WNBA, players union agree to 6-week extension as CBA negotiations continue |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6851244/2025/12/01/wnba-players-union-cba-negotiations-extension/ |access-date=2025-12-04 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> On December 18, the WNBPA announced that the union had authorized the executive committee to "call a strike when necessary" as players continued negotiations with the league over a new CBA.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Maloney |first1=Jack |date=December 18, 2025 |title=WNBA players vote to authorize a strike if 'necessary': What it means as CBA negotiations continue |url=https://www.cbssports.com/wnba/news/wnba-players-vote-authorize-strike-cba-negotiations/ |access-date=December 19, 2025 |website=CBS Sports}}</ref> If both sides hadn't reached an agreement, the league could have experienced a lockout, which has never happened in its history.<ref>{{cite web |last=Medina |first=Angelica |date=November 29, 2025 |title=WNBA lockout looms with pay talks deadlocked |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/basketball-wnba-lockout-looms-with-pay-talks-deadlocked-2025-11-30/ |access-date=December 23, 2025 |work=Reuters}}</ref>

On March 24, 2026, the WNBA and its players' union finalized a new 7-year CBA extending to 2032. The agreement introduced a historic shift in the league's economic structure by directly linking player salaries to league revenue for the first time, with players receiving an average of 20% of total revenue.<ref>{{cite web |title=WNBA’s New CBA Agreement: Three Key Points to Know, Including Pay Increases |url=https://www.si.com/wnba/new-cba-agreement-three-key-points-to-know-including-pay-increases |website=SI |access-date=April 12, 2026|date=March 18, 2026|last=Wong|first=Kristen}}</ref><ref name="2026 CBA apnews">{{cite web |last1=Feinberg |first1=Doug |title=WNBA owners ratify landmark 7-year CBA, setting up a sprint to the May 8 regular-season start |url=https://apnews.com/article/wnba-cba-1b4da5e8dcc152fcc76370a799363a83 |website=APNews |publisher=Associated Press |access-date=April 12, 2026|date=March 24, 2026}}</ref> These changes facilitated a substantial increase in the teams' salary cap, which rose from $1.5 million under the previous deal to $7 million. In turn, player compensation saw a significant upward adjustment; the average player salary reached $583,000, and the supermax contract was established at $1.4 million. Minimum salaries were also restructured to range between $270,000 and $300,000 based on a player's years of service.<ref name="2026 CBA apnews"></ref>

The 2026 CBA also introduced key changes to the "Core" player designation. The "Core" player designation allows a team to retain exclusive negotiating rights with a star player who would otherwise become an unrestricted free agent, in exchange for a one-year qualifying offer at the league's supermax salary level. The total number of times a player can be "cored" during their career was reduced from three to two. Furthermore, a service-year limit was established to ensure that, starting in 2027, players with seven or more years of experience cannot be designated as core players, allowing them to reach unrestricted free agency.<ref name="2026 CBA si">{{cite web |last1=Lundberg |first1=Robin |title=WNBA Salary Cap: What Contracts and Max Deals Look Like Amid Free Agency |url=https://www.si.com/onsi/womens-fastbreak/wnba/wnba-salary-cap-what-contracts-and-max-deals-look-like-amid-free-agency-01knqmqdzvh1 |website=SI |publisher=Sports Illustrated |access-date=April 12, 2026|date=April 8, 2026}}</ref>

The 2026 agreement introduced the "Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract" (EPIC) provision. This allows players to renegotiate the fourth year of their rookie scale contract and agree to a three-year extension if they meet specific performance criteria. Players who earn All-WNBA First or Second Team honors become eligible for a maximum salary in that fourth year, while those who win the league's Most Valuable Player award qualify for the supermax salary.<ref name="2026 CBA si"></ref>

==Teams==

{{OSM Location map |nolabels=1 |width=380 |height=200 |coord={{coord|38|-94.7}} |zoom=3 |shapeD=circle |shape-colorD=red |mark-sizeD=8 |label-sizeD=11,background,outline |label-posD=east

|legendBox=,120px38px5px,5px158px,background,black |legendItem1=<b>Eastern Conference</b>,1 |legendItem2=<b>Western Conference</b>,5,14 |legendItem3=<i>Future teams</i>,3,25

|label1='''Dream''' |mark-coord1={{Coord|33.6468|-84.4597}} |shape-color1=blue |mark-title1=Atlanta Dream |mark-image1=Gateway Center Arena, at night.jpg |mark-description1=Gateway Center Arena

|label2='''Sky''' |mark-coord2={{Coord|41.8537|-87.6213}} |label-pos2=west |shape-color2=blue |mark-title2=Chicago Sky |mark-image2=Wintrust Arena, Location Chicago, Illinois Architect Pelli Clarke Pelli (39900410490).jpg |mark-description2=Wintrust Arena

|label3=''Cleveland'' |mark-coord3={{Coord|41.4965|-81.6881}} |label-pos3=east,with-line,2 |ldy3=-45 |shape-color3=green |mark-title3=Cleveland WNBA team |mark-image3=Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics (37559832030).jpg |mark-description3=Rocket Arena

|label4='''Sun''' |mark-coord4={{Coord|41.4912|-72.0897}} |ldx4=-2 |ldy4=-8 |shape-color4=blue |mark-title4=Connecticut Sun |mark-image4=Mohegan Sun Arena - June 20, 2025.jpg |mark-description4=Mohegan Sun Arena

|label5='''Wings''' |mark-coord5={{Coord|32.7305|-97.108}} |mark-title5=Dallas Wings |mark-image5=Minnesota Lynx vs. Dallas Wings June 2019 01.jpg |mark-description5=College Park Center

|label6=''Detroit'' |mark-coord6={{Coord|42.341|-83.055}} |label-pos6=west,with-line,2 |ldx6=-2 |ldy6=-15 |shape-color6=green |mark-title6=Detroit WNBA team |mark-image6=Interior of little Caesars arena panorama.jpg |mark-description6=Little Caesars Arena

|label7='''Valkyries''' |mark-coord7={{Coord|37.7679|-122.387}} |ldx7=-3 |ldy7=-9 |mark-title7=Golden State Valkyries |mark-image7=Indiana Fever at Golden State Valkyries - August 2025 - Sarah Stierch 01.jpg |mark-description7=Chase Center

|label8='''Fever''' |mark-coord8={{Coord|39.764|-86.1555}} |ldx8=-43 |ldy8=7 |shape-color8=blue |mark-title8=Indiana Fever |mark-image8=Bankers Life Fieldhouse.JPG |mark-description8=Gainbridge Fieldhouse

|label9='''Aces''' |mark-coord9={{Coord|36.0907|-115.179}} |mark-title9=Las Vegas Aces |mark-image9=Evo 2017 at Mandalay Bay Events Center.jpg |mark-description9=Michelob Ultra Arena

|label10='''Sparks''' |mark-coord10={{Coord|34.0431|-118.2672}} |label-pos10=west |mark-title10=Los Angeles Sparks |mark-image10=Crypto.com Arena interior 2024.jpg |mark-description10=Crypto.com Arena

|label11='''Lynx''' |mark-coord11={{Coord|44.9795|-93.2761}} |label-pos11=west |mark-title11=Minnesota Lynx |mark-image11=South Carolina defeats UConn to win the NCAA women's basketball title 01.jpg |mark-description11=Target Center

|label12='''Liberty''' |mark-coord12={{Coord|40.6826|-73.9753}} |ldx12=-3 |ldy12=7 |shape-color12=blue |mark-title12=New York Liberty |mark-image12=Brooklyn Nets vs NY Knicks 2018-10-03 td 06 - Pregame.jpg |mark-description12=Barclays Center

|label13=''Philadelphia'' |mark-coord13={{Coord|39.9012|-75.1719}} |label-pos13=east,with-line,2 |ldy13=18 |shape-color13=green |mark-title13=Philadelphia WNBA team |mark-description13=New South Philadelphia Arena

|label14='''Mercury''' |mark-coord14={{Coord|33.4458|-112.0712}} |mark-title14=Phoenix Mercury |mark-image14=USAirwaysCenter-2008NCAAWestRegional.jpg |mark-description14=Mortgage Matchup Center

|label15='''Fire''' |mark-coord15={{Coord|45.5317|-122.6668}} |mark-title15=Portland Fire |mark-image15=Portland Trail Blazers, Moda Center - December 2025 - 14.jpg |mark-description15=Moda Center

|label16='''Storm''' |mark-coord16={{Coord|47.622|-122.354}} |mark-title16=Seattle Storm |mark-image16=Seattle Storm vs Atlanta Dream at Climate Pledge Arena (July 2022) - 02.jpg |mark-description16=Climate Pledge Arena

|label17='''Tempo''' |mark-coord17={{Coord|43.6356|-79.415}} |ldx17=-4 |ldy17=-10 |shape-color17=blue |mark-title17=Toronto Tempo |mark-image17=Opening Faceoff (50472591452).jpg |mark-description17=Coca-Cola Coliseum

|label18='''Mystics''' |mark-coord18={{Coord|38.8468|-76.991}} |ldx18=-50 |ldy18=10 |shape-color18=blue |mark-title18=Washington Mystics |mark-image18=AmeriCup Qualifying Game at St. Elizabeths East Entertainment and Sports Arena.jpg |mark-description18=CareFirst Arena }}

The WNBA originated with eight teams in 1997, and through a sequence of expansions, contractions, and relocations will consist of 15 teams as of the 2026 season.

As of the 2026 season, the Las Vegas Aces (formerly known as the Utah Starzz and San Antonio (Silver) Stars), Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty, and Phoenix Mercury are the only remaining franchises that were founded in 1997.

Arenas listed below reflect those in use during the 2026 season. {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" border="1" |+Key ! scope="col" |Symbol ! scope="col" |Meaning |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |* |Franchise has relocated at some point in its existence |} {{clear}} {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+Overview of WNBA teams – 2026 season |- ! scope="col" | Conference ! scope="col" | Team ! scope="col" | City ! scope="col" | Arena ! scope="col" | Capacity ! scope="col" | Joined ! scope="col" | Head coach |- ! rowspan="7" scope=rowgroup |Eastern ! scope="row"| Atlanta Dream | College Park, Georgia | Gateway Center Arena | align=center| 3,500 | align=center | 2008 | Karl Smesko |- ! scope="row"| Chicago Sky | Chicago, Illinois | Wintrust Arena | align=center| 10,387 | style="text-align:center;"| 2006 | Tyler Marsh |- ! scope="row"| Connecticut Sun | Uncasville, Connecticut | Mohegan Sun Arena | align=center| 9,323 | style="text-align:center;"| 1999* | Rachid Meziane |- ! scope="row"| Indiana Fever | Indianapolis, Indiana | Gainbridge Fieldhouse | align=center| 17,274 | align=center | 2000 | Stephanie White |- ! scope="row"| New York Liberty | Brooklyn, New York | Barclays Center | align=center| 17,732 | style="text-align:center;"| 1997 | Chris DeMarco |- ! scope="row" | Toronto Tempo | Toronto, Ontario{{efn|group=ft|The Tempo have announced that during their inaugural 2026 season fifteen home games will be played at Coca-Cola Coliseum and three at Scotiabank Arena, both located in Toronto, two at Bell Centre in Montreal, and two at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 21, 2026 |title=Tempo Tip Off Inaugural Season May 8 at Coca-Cola Coliseum |url=https://tempo.wnba.com/news/toronto-tempo-to-tip-off-inaugural-2026-season-may-8-at-coca-cola-coliseum |access-date=January 21, 2026 |website=WNBA |publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC |language=en}}</ref>}} | Coca-Cola Coliseum | align="center" |8,700 | align="center" |2026 |Sandy Brondello |- ! scope="row"| Washington Mystics | Washington, D.C. | CareFirst Arena | align=center| 4,200 | style="text-align:center;"| 1998 | Sydney Johnson |- ! rowspan="8" scope=rowgroup |Western ! scope="row"| Dallas Wings | Arlington, Texas | College Park Center | align=center| 7,000 | style="text-align:center;"| 1998* | Jose Fernandez |- ! scope="row" | Golden State Valkyries | San Francisco, California | Chase Center | align="center" |18,064 | align="center" |2025 | Natalie Nakase |- ! scope="row"| Las Vegas Aces | Paradise, Nevada | Michelob Ultra Arena | align=center| 12,000 | style="text-align:center;"| 1997* | Becky Hammon |- ! scope="row"| Los Angeles Sparks | Los Angeles, California | Crypto.com Arena | align=center| 19,079 | style="text-align:center;"| 1997 | Lynne Roberts |- ! scope="row"| Minnesota Lynx | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Target Center | align=center| 18,798 | align=center | 1999 | Cheryl Reeve |- ! scope="row"| Phoenix Mercury | Phoenix, Arizona | Mortgage Matchup Center | align=center| 17,071 | style="text-align:center;"| 1997 | Nate Tibbetts |- ! scope="row" | Portland Fire | Portland, Oregon | Moda Center | align="center" |19,393 | align="center" |2026 |Alex Sarama |- ! scope="row"| Seattle Storm | Seattle, Washington | Climate Pledge Arena | align=center | 18,300 | style="text-align:center;"| 2000 | Sonia Raman |}{{notelist|group=teams}}

===Future teams=== {{See also|Timeline of the WNBA#2025–future: Expansion era}}

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+Planned WNBA teams |- ! scope="col" | Team ! scope="col" | City ! scope="col" | Arena ! scope="col" | Capacity ! scope="col" | Joining !Head coach |- ! scope="row" | Cleveland WNBA team | Cleveland, Ohio | Rocket Arena | align="center" |19,432 | align="center" |2028 | |- ! scope="row" | Detroit WNBA team | Detroit, Michigan | Little Caesars Arena | align="center" |20,332 | align="center" |2029 | |- ! scope="row" | Philadelphia WNBA team | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | New South Philadelphia Arena | align="center" |21,000 | align="center" |2030 | |}

{{notelist|group=ft}}

===Timeline=== {{Main|Timeline of the WNBA}}

===Relationship with NBA teams=== ====Share ownership==== WNBA teams affiliated with an NBA team from the same market are known as sister teams. These include the Golden State Valkyries and Warriors, the Indiana Fever and Pacers, the Los Angeles Sparks and Lakers, the Minnesota Lynx and Timberwolves, the New York Liberty and Brooklyn Nets, the Phoenix Mercury and Suns, the Washington Mystics and Wizards, and future expansion teams Cleveland (2028) and the Cavaliers, Detroit (2029) and the Pistons, and Philadelphia (2030) and the 76ers. Of these teams, only the Mystics doesn't share an arena with their NBA counterpart; the Mystics primarily play at CareFirst Arena, although they also play select games at Capital One Arena when facing high-profile opponents.

The Liberty were previously associated with the New York Knicks, having been owned by the Knicks' parent company, the Madison Square Garden Company,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/21417596/jim-dolan-parting-ways-new-york-liberty-was-only-matter |title=Jim Dolan parting ways with New York Liberty was only a matter of time |first=Mechelle|last=Voepel |website=ESPN |date=November 15, 2017 |access-date=November 24, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://liberty.wnba.com/news/msg-operate-liberty-continuing-pursue-sale-westchester-county-center-serve-teams-primary-home-2018/ |title=MSG to Operate Liberty While Continuing to Pursue Sale, Westchester County Center to Serve as Team's Primary Home for 2018 |publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC |date=February 8, 2018|website=WNBA}}</ref> but the team was sold in January 2019 to a group led by Joseph Tsai, then a minority owner of the Nets<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/25832607/brooklyn-nets-minority-owner-joseph-tsai-buys-wnba-new-york-liberty |title=Nets minority owner Joseph Tsai buys WNBA's Liberty |agency=Associated Press |website=ESPN |date=January 25, 2019 |access-date=January 25, 2019}}</ref> and now sole owner of that team.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.nba.com/article/2019/09/18/nba-approves-nets-sale-joe-tsai-david-levy-ceo |title=NBA Board of Governors approves sale of Nets to Joe Tsai |publisher=National Basketball Association |date=September 18, 2019 |access-date=September 28, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=September 18, 2019 |title=NBA Board of Governors approves sale of Nets to Joe Tsai |url=https://www.nba.com/news/nba-approves-nets-sale-joe-tsai-david-levy-ceo |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=NBA |language=en}}</ref> The Liberty, which played at Madison Square Garden until 2017 and at Westchester County Center in suburban White Plains in 2018 and 2019, were then relocated to the Nets' home arena, Barclays Center, in downtown Brooklyn.

From 1997 to 2007, the Buss family owned and operated both the Sparks and Lakers, but in 2007 they sold the Sparks to an investment group led by Kathy Goodman and Carla Cristofferson.<ref name=":3" /> In 2014, the Sparks were then sold to a group led by Lakers legend Magic Johnson,<ref name=":3">{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-sparks-sold-magic-dodgers-20140204,0,3096283.story#axzz2sJrXrCHG|title=Magic Johnson and other Dodgers owners purchase the Sparks|website=Los Angeles Times|date=February 4, 2014|access-date=April 2, 2026|last=Rohlin|first=Melissa}}</ref> and after Johnson's investment partner Mark Walter bought majority shares of the Lakers from the Buss family in 2025, both teams became sister teams again.<ref>{{cite news|last=Shelburne|first=Ramona|url=https://www.espn.ph/nba/story/_/id/46782684/nba-approves-mark-walter-purchase-majority-stake-lakers |title=Mark Walter approved as majority owner of Lakers, closes on sale |website=ESPN |date=October 31, 2025 |access-date=April 2, 2026}}</ref>

While Larry Tanenbaum is the chairman and minority owner of the Raptors' parent company Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), Tanenbaum owns the Tempo independent of MLSE.<ref name=Ahmed>{{cite web|last=Ahmed|first=Shireen|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball/wnba-toronto-awarded-expansion-team-1.7198595|title=Toronto awarded WNBA expansion team to begin play in 2026|website=CBC News|date=10 May 2024|accessdate=10 May 2024}}</ref> Rogers Communications, the majority owner of MLSE, intends to buy out Tanenbaum's share of the company by summer 2026.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Badenhausen |first1=Kurt |title=Rogers Planning Sports Team Stake Sale at $18 Billion Valuation |url=https://www.sportico.com/business/finance/2026/rogers-communications-earnings-sports-teams-toronto-1234890920/ |publisher=Sportico |access-date=19 May 2026}}</ref>

====Share market with an NBA team, but not ownership==== Amongst the WNBA teams that are in the same market as an NBA team, but are independently owned, are the Chicago Sky, who are not affiliated with the Bulls and play in a separate arena from their NBA counterpart.

The Detroit Shock was the sister team of the Pistons until the teams' owner sold the Shock to investors who moved the team to Tulsa, Oklahoma. The franchise relocated again in 2016, this time to the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex to become the Dallas Wings. However, the Wings are not affiliated with the Mavericks and also play in a separate arena.

While the Atlanta Dream shared State Farm Arena with the Hawks from 2008 to 2016 and again in 2019, and currently shares the Gateway Center Arena with the Hawks' G League affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks, the Hawks have never held any ownership stake in the Dream.

The Portland Fire plans to start play in the Trail Blazers' home of Moda Center, but unlike the previous team, does not share ownership with the NBA team; the WNBA team instead shares ownership with the Portland Thorns of the National Women's Soccer League.

====Do not share market with an NBA team==== Three teams do not share a market with an NBA counterpart. The Orlando Miracle was the sister team of the Magic until the team was sold to the Mohegan Sun casino, who relocated the franchise to Connecticut to become the Sun.

The Utah Starzz were affiliated with the Jazz before relocating to San Antonio as the Silver Stars in 2003. The Silver Stars (shortened to Stars in 2014) were then paired with the San Antonio Spurs from 2003 through the 2017 season, but that relationship ended in October 2017 when the Stars were bought by MGM Resorts International and moved to Las Vegas to become the Aces.<ref name="Stars move2">{{cite press release |title=WNBA Announces Relocation of San Antonio Stars to Las Vegas |date=October 17, 2017 |publisher=WNBA |url=http://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-team-las-vegas-san-antonio-stars-relocation/ |access-date=November 24, 2017}}</ref>

The Seattle Storm was formerly the sister team of the SuperSonics, but was sold to a Seattle-based group when the SuperSonics relocated to become the Oklahoma City Thunder.

==Season format==

===Regular season===

Teams hold training camps in April and May that allow the coaching staff to prepare the players for the regular season and determine the 12-woman roster with which they will begin the regular season. A series of preseason games is also played during this period.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-25 |title=The biggest question facing every WNBA team in training camp |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/44810084/wnba-training-camp-2025-season-opener-preview-biggest-question-projected-lineups-stats |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=ESPN |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Leite |first=Chelsea |date=2025-04-29 |title=Several WNBA players have already been cut from rosters as training camp begins |url=https://www.sbnation.com/wnba/2025/4/29/24420242/wnba-training-camp-player-cuts |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=SB Nation |language=en-US}}</ref>

The WNBA regular season begins in May. In 2023 and 2024, each team played 40 regular-season games, 20 each home and away. With the Golden State Valkyries joining the league in 2025, the regular season expanded to 44 games.<ref name=2025format>{{cite press release |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-finals-format-expansion-2025 |title=WNBA Finals Presented by YouTube TV Expand to Best-of-Seven Format Beginning in 2025 |publisher=WNBA |date=October 10, 2024 |access-date=October 11, 2024}}</ref> As in the NBA, each team hosts and visits every other team at least once every season.

During years in which the Summer Olympics are held, the WNBA takes a month off in the middle of the season to allow players to practice and compete with their respective national teams. During years in which the FIBA World Cup is held, the WNBA either takes a break for the World Cup or ends its season early, depending on the scheduling of the World Cup. ===Commissioner's Cup=== {{main|WNBA Commissioner's Cup}}

The 2020 season was planned to be the first for the Commissioner's Cup, an in-season tournament. Each team's first home and away games against each of its conference opponents, all of which were to be played in the first half of the season, were designated as Cup games. After each team played its 10 Cup games, the top team in each conference's Cup standings would advance to the Commissioner's Cup Final, a single match held in August. The COVID-19 pandemic caused the tournament to be scrapped for the time being; the tournament instead launched in 2021 under the originally announced format.<ref>{{Cite news |title=WNBA Commissioner's Cup: What is it? How does it fit into the rest of the season? How will it play out? |url=https://www.skysports.com/nba/news/36226/12378775/wnba-commissioners-cup-what-is-it-how-does-it-fit-into-the-rest-of-the-season-how-will-it-play-out |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818132443/https://www.skysports.com/nba/news/36226/12378775/wnba-commissioners-cup-what-is-it-how-does-it-fit-into-the-rest-of-the-season-how-will-it-play-out |archive-date=August 18, 2021 |access-date=2025-08-20 |work=Sky Sports |language=en-GB |url-status=live }}</ref>

The format was changed for the 2024 season. Each team now plays only one Commissioner's Cup game against each team in its conference, with either two or three games at home and the remainder away. All games in the first half of June are Cup contests. The Cup final, which remains a single game featuring the top teams in each conference's Cup standings, is now held near the end of June or at the start of July. Under both formats, all Cup games except the final count as regular-season games.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-07-02 |title=What is the WNBA Commissioner's Cup? Format, winners, stats |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/45523116/what-wnba-commissioner-cup-format-winners-stats |access-date=2025-08-20 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref>

===All-Star Game=== {{main|WNBA All-Star Game}}

In July, the regular season pauses to celebrate the annual All-Star Game. The first edition was held in 1999, the league's third season. The game is part of a weekend-long event, held in a selected WNBA city each year and played on the selected WNBA team's home court. Through the 2017 edition, the All-Star Game featured star players from the Western Conference facing star players from the Eastern Conference. Since 2018, conference affiliations have been ignored in team selections. During the season, voting for All-Star starters takes place among fans, WNBA players, and sports media members. The starters are selected by a weighted vote (fans 50%, players and media 25% each), while reserves are selected by the league's head coaches. The two players with the most fan votes are named team captains, who then fill out their teams in a draft format.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-06-17 |title=How does WNBA All-Star voting work? Dates, format, more |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/45530097/how-does-wnba-all-star-voting-work |access-date=2025-08-20 |website=ESPN}}</ref>

In 2004, The Game at Radio City was held in place of a traditional All-Star Game. The 2006 All-Star Game was the first game to feature custom uniforms that match the decade anniversary logo. From 2008 through 2016, no All-Star Game was held in any Summer Olympic year. In 2010, an exhibition game (Stars at the Sun) was held. Although the 2020 Summer Olympics were postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19, no All-Star Game was played in that season. The 2021 season featured the first All-Star Game in an Olympic year since 2000; this contest featured a WNBA all-star team facing the US national team. The 2024 game used the same format as in 2021, and was also an official All-Star Game.

Shortly after the All-Star break is the trading deadline. After this date, teams are not allowed to exchange players with each other for the remainder of the season, although they may still sign and release players. Major trades are often completed right before the trading deadline.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-04 |title=When Is the WNBA Trade Deadline & How Does It Work? |url=https://www.si.com/wnba/when-is-trade-deadline-how-does-it-work |access-date=2025-08-20 |work=SI}}</ref>

===Playoffs=== {{Main|WNBA playoffs}}

The WNBA playoffs usually begin in late September, though in years of the FIBA World Cup they begin in August. In the current system, the eight best teams by the regular-season record, without regard to conference alignment, qualify for the playoffs. Since 2022, the playoffs have been held in a standard knockout format, with the quarterfinals consisting of best-of-three series and the semifinals being best-of-five. The Finals were also best-of-five until being expanded to best-of-seven in 2025.<ref name="2022format">{{cite press release|url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-approves-new-playoff-format/ |title=WNBA Approves New Playoff Format |publisher=WNBA |date=November 18, 2021 |accessdate=November 19, 2021}}</ref> Since 2021, Google has been the official sponsor of all playoff rounds except for the Finals,<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.wnba.com/news/google-named-new-wnba-changemaker-and-presenting-partner-of-the-wnba-on-espn-as-part-of-multiyear-agreement/ |title=Google Named New WNBA Changemaker and Presenting Partner of the WNBA on ESPN as Part of Multiyear Agreement |publisher=WNBA |date=May 3, 2021 |accessdate=November 19, 2021}}</ref> which are sponsored by YouTube TV.<ref name="2025format" />

Having a higher seed offers several advantages. The higher seed will generally face a weaker team, and will have home-court advantage in each round. In 2024, all quarterfinal series used a 2–1 home-court pattern, which allowed the higher seed the opportunity to win the series without having to visit the lower seed. This in turn meant that a lower seed that won one of the first two games would host the series decider.<ref name=2022format/> However, the quarterfinals returned to an odd-even pattern in 2025, with the higher seed hosting the first game and a potential third game.<ref name=2025format/>

The quarterfinals are bracketed in the normal manner for an 8-team tournament, with 1 vs. 8 and 4 vs. 5 on one side of the bracket and 2 vs. 7 and 3 vs. 6 on the other. The winners of each quarterfinal series advance to the semifinals, with the bracket not being reseeded. The semifinals use a 2–2–1 home-court pattern, meaning that the higher-seeded team will have home court in games 1, 2, and 5 while the other team plays at home in game 3 and 4.

===Finals=== {{Main|WNBA Finals}}

The final playoff round, a best-of-seven series between the two semifinal winners, is known as the WNBA Finals and is held annually, currently scheduled in October. Each player on the winning team receives a championship ring. Also, the league awards a WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award. Since 2025, the Finals have used the same 2–2–1–1–1 pattern currently used by the NBA, meaning that the higher seed hosts games 1 and 2, the lower seed hosts games 3 and 4, and the teams alternate the last three games, all if necessary.<ref name="2025format2">{{cite press release |title=WNBA Finals Presented by YouTube TV Expand to Best-of-Seven Format Beginning in 2025 |date=October 10, 2024 |publisher=WNBA |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-finals-format-expansion-2025 |access-date=October 11, 2024}}</ref>

==Players and coaches== {{Main|List of Women's National Basketball Association players|List of Women's National Basketball Association head coaches}}

{{see also|List of foreign WNBA players}} [[File:MN_Lynx's_coach_Cheryl_Reeve_in_2024_(1).jpg|right|thumb|200px|Cheryl Reeve Head Coach and President of Basketball Operations of the Minnesota Lynx, known for her successful coaching career and leadership in the WNBA.]]

In 2011, a decade and a half after the launch of the WNBA, only two players remained from the league's inaugural season in 1997: Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson. Lisa Leslie was the longest-tenured player from the 1997 draft class; she spent her entire career (1997–2009) with the Los Angeles Sparks. Sue Bird holds both of the league's most significant longevity records—number of seasons in the league (19) and games played (580).

The members of the WNBA's All-Decade Team were chosen in 2006 on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the WNBA from 30 nominees compiled by fans, media, coach, and player voting. The team was to comprise the 10 best and most influential players of the first decade of the WNBA, with consideration also given to sportsmanship, community service, leadership, and contribution to the growth of women's basketball. Players for the WNBA's Top 15 Team were chosen in 2011 on the anniversary of the league's fifteenth season from amongst 30 nominees compiled similarly to that of the All-Decade Team process. This process was repeated for the league's 20th anniversary season in 2016 with the selection of the WNBA Top 20@20, and for the 25th anniversary season in 2021 with the selection of The W25.

[[File:Micheletimms2016.jpg|thumb|left|175px|Michele Timms, known for her skillful playmaking and leadership on the court.]]

Over 30 players have scored at least 3,000 points in their WNBA careers. Only 15 WNBA players have reached the 6,000 point milestone: Diana Taurasi, Tina Charles, DeWanna Bonner, Tina Thompson, Tamika Catchings, Nneka Ogwumike, Candice Dupree, Cappie Pondexter, Sue Bird, Candance Parker, Katie Smith, Sylvia Fowles, Lisa Leslie, Seimone Augustus and Lauren Jackson.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WNBA Career Leaders and Records for Points |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/leaders/pts_career.html |access-date=2025-08-20 |website=Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref> The scoring average leader is A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces, with an average of 21.30 points per game.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WNBA Career Leaders and Records for Points Per Game |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/leaders/pts_per_g_career.html |access-date=2025-08-20 |website=Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref>

In 2007, Paul Westhead of the Phoenix Mercury became the first person to earn both NBA and WNBA championship rings as a coach.

In 2008, 50-year-old Nancy Lieberman became the oldest player to play in a WNBA game. She signed a seven-day contract with the Detroit Shock and played one game, tallying [https://web.archive.org/web/20080912150859/http://www.wnba.com/games/20080724/DETHOU/boxscore.html two assists and two turnovers] in nine minutes of action. By playing in the one game Lieberman broke a record that she had set in 1997 when she was the league's oldest player at 39. The oldest player to have participated in a full season is Diana Taurasi, who turned 42 early in the 2024 season.

=== Milestones === {{see also|WNBA records}} {| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;" |- |+ WNBA Milestones |- !Milestone !Player !Team !Date !Information |- | First player signed | Sheryl Swoopes | Houston Comets | October 23, 1996 | Signed by the WNBA and assigned to Houston. |- | First points scored | Penny Toler | Los Angeles Sparks | June 21, 1997 | Scored the first points on a baseline jump-shot. |- | First triple-double | Sheryl Swoopes | Houston Comets | July 27, 1998 | 14 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists |- | First slam dunk | Lisa Leslie | Los Angeles Sparks | July 30, 2002 | Dunked on a fast break against Miami |- | First 50–40–90 season | Elena Delle Donne | Washington Mystics | 2019 | 51.5% FG, 43.0% 3FG, 97.4% FT<ref name="EDD 50–40–90">{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/27573501/delle-donne-first-wnba-join-50-40-90-club |title=Delle Donne first in WNBA to join 50–40–90 club |website=ESPN.com |date=September 8, 2019 |accessdate=September 9, 2019}}</ref> |- | Most games played | Sue Bird | Seattle Storm | 2002–2012, 2014–2018, 2020–2022 | 580 games |- | Most career points | Diana Taurasi | Phoenix Mercury | 2004–2014, 2016–2024 | 10,646 points |- | Most career rebounds | Tina Charles | Connecticut Sun / Washington Mystics / Phoenix Mercury / Seattle Storm / Atlanta Dream | 2010–2019, 2021–2022, 2024–present | 4,207 rebounds |- | Most career assists | Sue Bird | Seattle Storm | 2002–2012, 2014–2018, 2020–2022 | 3,234 assists |- | Most career blocks | Margo Dydek | Utah Starzz / San Antonio Silver Stars / Connecticut Sun / Los Angeles Sparks | 1998–2004, 2005–2007, 2008 | 877 blocks |- | Most career steals | Tamika Catchings | Indiana Fever | 2002–2016 | 1,074 steals |- | Most 3-pointers | Diana Taurasi | Phoenix Mercury | 2004–2014, 2016–2024 | 1,447 3-pointers |- | rowspan=2 | Most points in a game | Liz Cambage | Dallas Wings | July 17, 2018 | rowspan=2 | 53 points |- | A'ja Wilson | Las Vegas Aces | August 22, 2023 |- | Most rebounds in a game | Chamique Holdsclaw | Washington Mystics | May 23, 2003 | 24 rebounds |- | Most assists in a game | Caitlin Clark | Indiana Fever | July 17, 2024 | 19 assists |- | Most career regular season wins for a coach | Mike Thibault | Connecticut Sun / Washington Mystics<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wnba.com/mystics/news/mike_thibault_070613.html|title = News Archive}}</ref> | 2003–2022 | 379 wins |- | Most career post-season wins for a coach | Cheryl Reeve | Minnesota Lynx | 2010–present | 50 wins |- | Most team points in one game | – | Phoenix Mercury | July 24, 2010 | 127 points in double overtime against Minnesota |- | Most team points in a regulation game | – | Phoenix Mercury | July 22, 2010 | 123 points against Tulsa |- | Largest margin of victory | – | Minnesota Lynx | August 18, 2017 | 59-point win (111–52) over Indiana |- | Largest attendance for any game | – | Detroit Shock | September 16, 2007 | 22,076 in game 5 of 2007 Finals |- | Largest attendance for a regular-season game | – | Washington Mystics | September 19, 2024 | 20,711 vs. Indiana Fever |}

===Awards=== Around the beginning of September (or late August in Olympic and FIBA World Cup years), the regular season ends. It is during this time that voting begins for individual awards. The Sixth Player of the Year Award (known before 2021 as the "Sixth Woman" award) is given to the best player coming off the bench (must have more games coming off the bench than actual games started).<ref name=WNBA6th>{{cite web|url=http://www.wnba.com/news/awards07_sixth.html|title=Detroit's Plenette Pierson Named 2007 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year|publisher=WNBA}}</ref> The Rookie of the Year Award is awarded to the most outstanding first-year player. The Most Improved Player Award is awarded to the player who is deemed to have shown the most improvement from the previous season. The Defensive Player of the Year Award is awarded to the league's best defender. The Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award is awarded to the player who shows outstanding sportsmanship on and off the court. The Coach of the Year Award is awarded to the coach that has made the most positive difference to a team. The Most Valuable Player Award is given to the player deemed the most valuable for her team that season. The Basketball Executive of the Year Award is presented to the team executive most instrumental in his or her team's success in that season. The newest WNBA award, first presented in 2019, is the season-long version of the WNBA Community Assist Award, presented to a player for especially meritorious community service.{{efn|group=award|The Community Assist Award has been presented on a monthly basis during the season since 2008, but a season-long version was not presented until 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wnba.com/wnba-cares-community-assist-past-winners/ |title=WNBA Cares Community Assist – Past Winners |publisher=WNBA |accessdate=November 20, 2021}}</ref>}}

Also named are the All-WNBA Teams, the All-Defensive Teams, and the All-Rookie Team; each consists of five players. There are two All-WNBA teams; starting with the 2022 season, each consists of five top players selected without regard to position, with first-team status being the most desirable.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-announces-new-process-for-selecting-all-wnba-teams-and-unveils-end-of-season-awards-schedule/ |title=WNBA Announces New Process for Selecting All-WNBA Teams and Unveils End-of-Season Awards Schedule |publisher=WNBA |date=August 5, 2022 |access-date=August 7, 2022}}</ref> There are two All-Defensive teams; since the 2023 season, each consists of the top defenders regardless of position. Finally, there is one All-Rookie team, consisting of the top five first-year players regardless of position. (In all cases, a tie in voting may lead to a team containing six players instead of five.)

====Most recent award winners==== All listed winners are from the 2025 season<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 10, 2025 |title=Awards Archive |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/category/awards |access-date=October 21, 2025 |website=www.wnba.com}}</ref> unless noted otherwise. {{trim|{{#section-h:2025 WNBA season|individual}}}}

===Retired numbers=== [[File:Becky_Hammon_London_2012_Olympics_Womens_Basketball_(Australia_v_Russia).jpg|thumb|Becky Hammon known for her exceptional basketball IQ and contributions to the game.]]

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" |- ! width=40px|No. ! width=150px|Team ! width=150px|Player ! width=40px|Pos. ! width=115px|Tenure{{efn|group=note|name=tenure|Reflects tenure with the team that retired the player's number; not necessarily identical to the player's WNBA tenure.}} ! width=40px|Ref. |- |'''14''' | rowspan="2" |Chicago Sky |Allie Quigley |G |2013–2022 |<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-07-10 |title=Chicago Sky retire Allie Quigley's No. 14 jersey, putting a bow on a stellar career with her hometown team |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/07/09/allie-quigley-chicago-sky-jersey-retirement/ |access-date=2025-07-24 |work=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> |- |'''3''' |{{sortname|Candace|Parker}} |F |2021–2022 |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sky to Retire Candace Parker's No. 3 Jersey on August 25 |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/chicago-sky-candace-parker-jersey-retirement |access-date=2025-08-20 |website=www.wnba.com |language=en}}</ref> |- | '''24''' |Indiana Fever|| {{sortname|Tamika|Catchings}} || SF || 2002–2016 || <ref>{{Cite web |title=Indiana Fever to Retire Catchings' No. 24 Jersey |url=https://utsports.com/news/2017/6/26/Indiana_Fever_to_Retire_Catchings_No_24_Jersey.aspx?path=wbball |access-date=July 18, 2025 |work=University of Tennessee Athletics}}</ref> |- |'''25''' |Las Vegas Aces|| {{sortname|Becky|Hammon}}{{Refn|Number retired by the franchise when it was playing as the San Antonio Stars. Hammon played the last eight seasons of her WNBA career in San Antonio. The Aces, which honored the number's retirement by the Stars, held a second number retirement ceremony for Hammon on September 13, 2021.|group=note|name=becky}} || G || 2007–2014 || <ref>{{cite web|title=Stars Retire Becky Hammon's Jersey|url=http://stars.wnba.com/news/stars-retire-becky-hammons-jersey/|publisher=WNBA|date=June 27, 2016|access-date=June 28, 2016|archive-date=November 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104130207/http://stars.wnba.com/news/stars-retire-becky-hammons-jersey/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|url=https://aces.wnba.com/news/aces-to-honor-becky-hammon-by-raising-her-no-25-to-the-rafters-monday-september-13/ |title=Aces To Honor Becky Hammon By Raising Her No. 25 To The Rafters, Monday, September 13 |publisher=Las Vegas Aces |date=September 10, 2021 |accessdate=January 1, 2022}}</ref> |-

| '''3''' || rowspan=3| Los Angeles Sparks || {{sortname|Candace|Parker}} || F || 2008–2020 || <ref>{{Cite web |date=March 27, 2025 |title=Sparks to retire Parker's No. 3 jersey on June 29 |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/44429390/sources-sparks-retire-candace-parker-no-3-june-29 |access-date=July 18, 2025 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> |- | '''9''' || {{sortname|Lisa|Leslie}} || C || 1997–2009 || <ref>{{Cite web |date=August 10, 2010 |title=Sparks to retire Leslie's jersey during halftime |url=https://www.espn.com/news/story?id=5450577 |access-date=July 18, 2025 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> |- | '''11''' || {{sortname|Penny|Toler}} || G || 1997–1999 || <ref>{{Cite web |title=Sparks Retire Toler�s Jersey |url=https://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/sparks/news/jersey_toler_060717.html |access-date=July 18, 2025 |website=www.wnba.com}}</ref> |- | '''13''' || rowspan=5 |Minnesota Lynx || {{sortname|Lindsay|Whalen}} || G || 2010–2018 || <ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/26552356/lynx-honor-whalen-first-retired-number |title=Lynx to honor Whalen with first retired number |agency=Associated Press |website=ESPN.com |date=April 18, 2019 |access-date=April 18, 2019}}</ref> |- | '''23''' || {{sortname|Maya|Moore}} || F || 2011–2018 || <ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.kare11.com/article/sports/wnba/lynx/lynx-to-retire-maya-moores-number-in-august/89-23bc808b-22dd-43d8-b3db-9e2b6677ed39 |title=Minnesota Lynx to retire Maya Moore's number in August |first=David |last=Griswold |publisher=KARE |location=Minneapolis |date=March 18, 2024 |access-date=March 19, 2024}}</ref> |- | '''32''' ||{{sortname|Rebekkah|Brunson}} || F || 2010–2018 || <ref>{{cite web |last1=Schad |first1=Chris |title=Lynx retire Rebekkah Brunson's jersey, crush Aces |url=https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/minnesota-lynx/lynx-retire-rebekkah-brunsons-jersey-crush-aces |website=si.com |date=July 3, 2022 |publisher=SI |access-date=14 December 2022 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> |- | '''33''' || {{sortname|Seimone|Augustus}} || G || 2006–2019 || <ref>{{cite web |last1=Gonzalez |first1=Isabel |title=Minnesota Lynx retire four-time WNBA champion Seimone Augustus' No. 33 jersey |url=https://www.cbssports.com/wnba/news/minnesota-lynx-retire-four-time-wnba-champion-seimone-augustus-no-33-jersey/ |work=CBS Sports |date=May 29, 2022 |access-date=14 December 2022}}</ref> |- | '''34''' || Sylvia Fowles || C || 2015–2022 || <ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-12 |title=Minnesota retires jersey of rebounding ace Sylvia Fowles, helped Lynx win 2 WNBA titles |url=https://apnews.com/article/sylvia-fowles-jersey-retirement-wnba-lynx-dc8811edfc698f315a4eac35e189071a |access-date=2024-03-22 |work=AP News}}</ref> |- | '''7''' || rowspan=4|Phoenix Mercury || {{sortname|Michele|Timms}} || G || 1997–2001 || <ref>{{Cite web |title=Mercury to Retire #7 |url=https://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/mercury/news/reitre7_020730.html |access-date=July 18, 2025 |website=www.wnba.com}}</ref><ref>[https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame-member/michele-timms/ Michelle Timms] on Sports Australia HoF</ref> |- | '''13''' || {{sortname|Penny|Taylor}} || G/F || 2004–2016 || <ref>Phoenix Mercury retires Penny Taylor's jersey as Australian greats pay tribute] by Roy Ward on ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', July 10, 2017</ref> |- | '''22''' || {{sortname|Jennifer|Gillom}} || F || 1997–2002 || <ref name=":9">{{Cite web |date=2025-07-14 |title=How Many Mercury Players Have Had Their Jersey Retired? |url=https://www.si.com/wnba/mercury/phoenix-michele-timms-penny-taylor-jennifer-gillom-cheryl-miller |access-date=2025-08-20 |work=Phoenix Mercury On SI}}</ref> |- | '''32''' || {{sortname|Bridget|Pettis}} || G || 1997–2006 || <ref name=":9" /> |- | '''15''' || rowspan=2 | Seattle Storm || {{sortname|Lauren|Jackson}} || F/C || 2001–2012 || <ref>{{Cite web |date=July 16, 2016 |title=Storm's Jackson finally gets send-off she deserved |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/17088555/seattle-storm-retire-lauren-jackson-jersey-give-send-deserved |access-date=July 18, 2025 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Seattle Storm retire Aussie Lauren Jackson's No. 15 jersey |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/wnba/2016/07/16/seattle-storm-retire-lauren-jacksons-no-15-jersey/87170538/ |access-date=July 18, 2025 |work=USA TODAY |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240926035518/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/wnba/2016/07/16/seattle-storm-retire-lauren-jacksons-no-15-jersey/87170538/ |archive-date=September 26, 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref> |- | '''10''' || {{sortname|Sue|Bird}} || G || 2001–2022{{refn|group=note|Bird missed the 2013 and 2019 seasons to injuries.}} || <ref>{{cite press release|url=https://storm.wnba.com/news/storm-to-retire-sue-birds-10-jersey-on-june-11/ |title=Storm to retire Sue Bird's #10 Jersey on June 11 |publisher=Seattle Storm |date=January 19, 2023 |access-date=January 21, 2023}}</ref> |}

;

;Notes {{Reflist|group=note}}

===Notable international players=== {{further|List of foreign WNBA players}} A number of international players that have played in the WNBA have earned multiple all-stars or won MVP awards: * {{flagicon|BRA}} Janeth Arcain, Brazil – four-time WNBA champion with the Houston Comets (1997–2000), one-time All-Star (2001) and Most Improved Player Award (2001) * {{flagicon|Russia}} Elena Baranova, Russia – among the first international players in the WNBA (1997), one-time All-Star (2001). * {{flagicon|China}} Zheng Haixia, China – first winner of the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award and first international player to win a WNBA award (1997) * {{flagicon|Poland}} Margo Dydek, Poland – first international player to be #1 draft pick (1998) * {{flagicon|Portugal}} Ticha Penicheiro, Portugal – WNBA champion with the Sacramento Monarchs (2005) and four-time All-Star * {{flagicon|Australia}} Lauren Jackson, Australia – two-time WNBA champion with the Seattle Storm (2004, 2010), three-time WNBA MVP and eight-time All-Star * {{flagicon|Australia}} Penny Taylor, Australia – three-time WNBA champion with the Phoenix Mercury (2007, 2009, 2014) and four-time All-Star * {{flagicon|Canada}} Tammy Sutton-Brown, Canada – two-time All-Star * {{flagicon|VCT}} Sophia Young, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – four-time All-Star * {{flagicon|VCT}} Sancho Lyttle, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – two-time All-Star * {{flagicon|Australia}} Liz Cambage, Australia – four-time All-Star * {{flagicon|BEL}} Emma Meesseman, Belgium – WNBA champion with the Washington Mystics (2019), two-time All-Star, 2019 WNBA Finals MVP * {{flagicon|BAH}} Jonquel Jones, The Bahamas – WNBA champion with the New York Liberty, five-time All-Star, 2017 Most Improved Player, 2018 Sixth Player of the Year, 2021 WNBA MVP, 2023 WNBA Commissioner's Cup MVP, 2024 WNBA Finals MVP * {{flagicon|GER}} Satou Sabally, Germany – three time All-Star, 2023 Most Improved Player

Some of these players, among them Jones, Lyttle, Penicheiro, Sabally, Sutton-Brown, and Young played U.S. college basketball.

==Rules and regulations== Rules are governed by standard basketball rules as defined by the NBA, with a few notable exceptions: * The three-point line is {{convert|22|ft|1.75|in|m|2|abbr=on}} from the center of the basket, with a distance of {{convert|22|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} at the corners. The main arc is essentially identical to that used by FIBA (effective October 1, 2012, for domestic competitions) and the NCAA (effective in 2019–20 in Division I and 2020–21 in Divisions II and III for men, and in 2021–22 for all women's divisions). The WNBA corner distance, as measured from the center of the basket, is identical to that of the NBA; the FIBA and NCAA distance at the corners is {{convert|4|in|cm|2|abbr=on}} shorter. * The regulation WNBA ball is a minimum {{convert|28.5|in|cm}} in circumference and weighs {{convert|20.0|oz|g}}, {{convert|1|in|cm}} smaller and {{convert|2|oz|g}} lighter than the NBA ball. Since 2004, this size has been used for all senior-level women's competitions throughout the world in full-court basketball. Competitions in the half-court 3x3 variant used the women's ball until 2015, when a dedicated ball with the circumference of the women's ball but the weight of the men's ball was introduced. Wilson became the WNBA ball supplier in 2021. Prior to that year, Spalding had been the ball supplier since 1997. * Quarters are 10 minutes in duration instead of 12.

Games are divided into four 10-minute quarters as opposed to the league's original two 20-minute halves of play, similar to FIBA and NCAA women's college rules.

A trend with new WNBA rules has been to match them with a similar NBA rule. Since the 2006 WNBA season:<ref name="WNBA Announces Rule Changes for 2006">{{cite web |url=http://www.wnba.com/news/rulechanges_051206.html |title=WNBA Announces Rule Changes for 2006 |date=December 6, 2005 |work=WNBA.com |access-date=June 13, 2011}}</ref> * The winner of the opening jump ball shall begin the 4th quarter with the ball out of bounds. The loser shall begin with the ball out of bounds in the second and third quarters. Previously under the two-half format, both periods started with jump balls, presumably to eliminate the possibility of a team intentionally losing the opening tip to gain the opening possession of the second half. This is not a problem under the four-quarters because the winner of the opening tip gets the opening possession of the final period. * The shot clock was decreased from 30 to 24 seconds, matching the FIBA shot clock. Starting in 2020, the last five seconds of the shot clock counted down in tenths of a second.

The 2007 WNBA season brought changes that included:<ref name="WNBA Announces Rule Changes for 2007 Season">{{cite web |url=http://www.wnba.com/news/newrules_release_070130.html |title=WNBA Announces Rule Changes for 2007 Season |date=January 30, 2007 |work=WNBA.com |access-date=June 13, 2011}}</ref> * The amount of time that a team must move the ball across the half-court line went from 10 to 8 seconds. * A referee can grant time-outs to either a player or the coach. * Two free throws and possession of the ball for a clear-path-to-the-basket foul. Previously only one free throw was awarded as well as possession.

In 2012, the WNBA added the block/charge arc under the basket. As of 2013 the defensive three-second rule and anti-flopping guidelines were introduced. The three-point line was also extended; in 2017, that line extended into the corners to match the NBA's.

Since 2017, Tissot is the official timekeeper for the league, as it uses a unified game clock/shot clock system.

===Court dimensions=== {| class="wikitable" style="width: 60%; margin:1em auto;" |- !colspan=3|WNBA Court Dimensions |- style="text-align:center;" ! Area ! Imperial ! Metric |- |Length of court (baseline to baseline) || 94&nbsp;ft || 28.65 m |- |Width of court (sideline to sideline) || 50&nbsp;ft || 15.24 m |- |Rim height (floor to rim) || 10&nbsp;ft || 3.05 m |- |Center circle diameter || 12&nbsp;ft || 3.66 m |- |Three-point line distance from center of basket || 22&nbsp;ft 1.75&nbsp;in || 6.75 m |- |Three-point line distance from center of basket (corners) || 22&nbsp;ft || 6.71 m |- |Shaded area/Lane/Key length || 19&nbsp;ft || 5.8 m |- |Shaded area/Lane/Key width || 16&nbsp;ft || 4.88 m |- |Restricted area (aka "block/charge arc")<br />(distance from center of basket) || 4&nbsp;ft || 1.22 m |- |Free-throw line (distance from backboard) || 15&nbsp;ft || 4.57 m |- |Free-throw half-circle radius || 6&nbsp;ft || 1.83 m |- |Backboard width (side to side) || 6&nbsp;ft || 1.83 m |- |Coaching box width (from baseline) || 28&nbsp;ft || 8.54 m |- |colspan=3|''*All dimensions are in line with NBA regulations except the main three-point arc. The three-point distance at the corners is identical in the NBA and WNBA.'' |}

==Business==

===Finance=== In 2007, teams were estimated to be losing $1.5&nbsp;million to $2&nbsp;million a year.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lieber Steeg |first=Jill |date=June 12, 2007 |title=New owners stake claim in overhauling WNBA |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/wnba/2007-06-11-new-owners_N.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080804181014/https://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/wnba/2007-06-11-new-owners_N.htm |archive-date=2008-08-04 |access-date=June 13, 2011 |work=USA Today}}</ref> In total, the league projected losses through the 2010 season to be around $400 million.<ref>{{Citation|title=The Case and Practice for Sustainability in Business|date=2012-09-10|work=Sustainability: Multi-Disciplinary Perspectives|pages=310–339|editor-last=Beloff|editor-first=Beth|publisher=BENTHAM SCIENCE PUBLISHERS|doi=10.2174/978160805103811201010310|isbn=978-1-60805-103-8|editor2-last=Chevallier|editor2-first=Arnaud|doi-access=}}</ref> In December 2010, Donna Orender said that the league had its first-ever "cash flow positive" team during the 2010 season.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2010/12/donna-orender-david-stern-on-wnba.html|title=Donna Orender, David Stern on WNBA|date=December 3, 2010|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=November 7, 2015|first=Melissa|last=Rohlin}}</ref> In 2011, three teams were profitable, and in 2013, six of the league's 12 teams reported a profit.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2014/02/no-the-wnba-is-not-a-major-sport-and-thats-fine/|title=No, the WNBA is Not a Major Sport (And That's Fine) |author=Paulsen |date=February 28, 2014 |access-date=November 7, 2015 |publisher=Sports Media Watch}}</ref> However, in 2018, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver revealed that the WNBA had lost an average of more than $10 million annually, which would amount to at least $280 million in losses since the WNBA's inception in 1997.<ref name="Dixon">{{Cite web |last=Dixon |first=Ed |date=2024-10-21 |title=WNBA to lose 'US$40m' in 2024 season, NBA won't see returns 'for years' |url=https://www.sportspro.com/news/wnba-losses-2024-season-nba-team-investment-adam-silver/ |access-date=2025-02-13 |work=SportsPro |language=en-GB}}</ref>

By the 2024 season, the WNBA has seen their revenue grow rapidly through a variety of avenues, such as through raising capital,<ref>{{Cite web |title=WNBA raises $75 million from Investors, Including Micky and Nick Arison |url=https://www.nba.com/heat/news/wnba-raises-75-million-dollars-from-investors-including-micky-and-nick-arison |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=www.nba.com |language=en}}</ref> re-negotiating their media rights deal, expansion fees,<ref name=":7" /> increased ticket sales,<ref name=":6" /> and establishing new strategic partnerships and sponsorships with organizations.<ref name=":8" /> Still, 40% of the revenue generated by the WNBA goes to the teams and the players, with the remainder going to the NBA and outside investors. Overall, the league is expected to have lost $50 million for the 2024 season.<ref name=":7" />

===Activism=== {{Main|WNBA Social Justice Council}}

thumb|New York Liberty WNBA Team staff wearing Black Lives Matter T-Shirts during a game on June 19, 2022 ''The New York Times'' in 2020 called the WNBA "the most socially progressive pro league".<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Abrams|first1=Jonathan|last2=Weiner|first2=Natalie|title=How the Most Socially Progressive Pro League Got That Way|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/16/sports/basketball/wnba-loeffler-protest-kneeling.html|date=2020-10-16|access-date=2021-07-05|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

As the popularity of the league has grown, players have gained more voice and power to perform as activists in many fields. One of the activist players' main focuses is the inequality between men's and women's sports. Many players such as Brittney Griner, Breanna Stewart, and Maya Moore have spoken about equality between gender, sexual orientation, and race.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.swishappeal.com/2018/5/1/17305038/2018-wnba-hoops-happenings-womens-basketball-nike-uniforms-breanna-stewart-wild-feminist-sue-bird|title=Hoops Happening: Today in women's basketball|date=May 1, 2018|publisher=Tamryn Spruill| access-date=September 15, 2018}}</ref> The players have also supported progressive social and political movements such as Black Lives Matter and others.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shoichet |first1=Catherine E. |last2=Martin |first2=Jill |title=Off-duty cops walkout over WNBA players' Black Lives Matter shirts |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/07/12/us/wnba-minnesota-lynx-black-lives-matter-shirts/index.html |publisher=CNN |access-date=29 December 2018 |date=12 July 2016}}</ref> The Minnesota Lynx were early advocates. ''The New York Times'' called Seimone Augustus "one of sports' most forward-thinking and undersung activists" for her early work advocating for marriage equality and LGBTQ+ rights.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Weiner |first=Natalie |date=2021-09-20 |title=Seimone Augustus Found Her Voice Long Before Coaching |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/20/sports/basketball/seimone-augustus-lgbtq-sparks.html |access-date=2024-06-02 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Before the Lynx July 9, 2016, home game, the team held a press conference where the four co-captains wore black t-shirts with the message ""Change starts with us - Justice and Accountability" on the front and the names of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling on the back. Castile had been killed by police in a traffic stop three days before the game.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-07-09 |title=Lynx acknowledge shooting victims with shirts |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/16933329/maya-moore-minnesota-lynx-wear-shirts-honor-police-shooting-victims-philando-castile-alton-sterling |access-date=2024-06-02 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> Shortly after the George Floyd protests began, the league and union decided in 2020 to put Black Lives Matter and Say Her Name slogans on warmup gear and opening weekend uniforms.<ref name="npr_dream">[https://www.npr.org/2021/01/21/959247641/atlanta-dream-co-owned-by-former-sen-kelly-loeffler-is-close-to-being-sold Atlanta Dream, Co-Owned By Former Sen. Kelly Loeffler, Is Close To Being Sold]</ref> When team owner Senator Kelly Loeffler criticized the league's support for Black Lives Matter, her team wore black T-shirts with the slogan "VOTE WARNOCK", endorsing her election opponent Raphael Warnock, an African-American pastor who defeated Loeffler.<ref name="npr_dream" /> thumb|Players from the Las Vegas Aces in September 2024, wearing T-shirts that read VOTE. In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the WNBA led American professional sports teams in promoting the COVID-19 vaccine.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Negley|first=Cassandra|date=28 June 2021|title=WNBA keeps leading the way announcing 99% of players fully vaccinated|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba-99-percent-players-fully-vaccinated-social-justice-push-public-health-161350558.html|access-date=2021-06-29|website=sports.yahoo.com}}</ref> Teams hosted vaccine clinics in their home arenas.<ref name=":1" /> In April the league and union's Social Justice Council made a PSA, ''Our Health is Worth a Shot'', that aired during the WNBA draft.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Thornton|first=Cedric|date=2021-04-16|title=WNBA Launches Public Service Announcement Supporting Health of Black Women and Girls, $25,000 Donation PSA and Joint Community Donation Included|url=https://www.blackenterprise.com/wnba-launches-public-service-announcement-supporting-health-of-black-women-and-girls-25000-donation-psa-and-joint-community-donation-included/|access-date=2021-06-29|work=Black Enterprise}}</ref> In June 2021, the WNBA announced that 99% of its players had been fully vaccinated.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Brito|first=Christopher|date=28 June 2021|title=WNBA says 99% of its players are fully vaccinated against COVID-19|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wnba-fully-vaccinated-covid-19/|access-date=2021-06-28|website=www.cbsnews.co}}</ref>

In June 2024, the documentary film ''Power of the Dream'' was released.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Power of the Dream |url=https://www.togethxr.com/blogs/studio/power-of-the-dream |access-date=2024-06-02 |work=Togethxr}}</ref> The film focuses on the league's work to support Black Lives Matter and the organizing to support the election of Warnock. Sue Bird and Nneka Ogwumike are co-producers of the film along with Tracee Ellis Ross and the director Dawn Porter.<ref name=":4" />

===Sponsorships=== On June 1, 2009, the Phoenix Mercury was the first team in WNBA history to announce a marquee sponsorship.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2009/06/01/Sponsorships-Advertising-Marketing/Mercury-Become-First-WNBA-Team-To-Sign-Jersey-Sponsorship.aspx|title=Mercury Become First WNBA Team To Sign Jersey Sponsorship|work=Sports Business Journal|date=June 1, 2009|accessdate=May 28, 2024}}</ref> The team secured a partnership with LifeLock to brand their jerseys and warm-ups.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wnba.com/mercury/news/lifelock_release_090601.html |title=Mercury, LifeLock Break New Ground with Partnership |date=June 1, 2009 |publisher=WNBA.com |access-date=June 13, 2011}}</ref> It was the first branded jersey in WNBA history. Following the expiration of the LifeLock deal, the Mercury secured a new uniform sponsorship deal with Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort on February 3, 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wnba.com/news/mercury_new_partnership_02032014.html |title=Phoenix Mercury Announces Marquee Partnership with Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort |date=February 3, 2014 |publisher=WNBA.com |access-date=May 16, 2014}}</ref>

Other teams eventually followed in the Mercury's footsteps; some teams feature sponsors prominently on the front of their jerseys, while others have sponsors on the upper left-hand shoulder.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mandell |first=Nina |date=2017-11-09 |title=Sponsor logos everywhere? WNBA unveils plan to boost how many fans see per game |url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/story/sports/wnba/2017/11/09/wnba-court-jerseys-sponsors/81849688007/ |access-date=2025-09-14 |website=For The Win |language=en-US}}</ref>

On August 22, 2011, the WNBA announced a league-wide marquee sponsorship with Boost Mobile.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wnba.com/news/boost_partnership_110822.html |title=Boost Mobile and WNBA Form First-Ever Leaguewide Marquee Sponsorship |date=August 22, 2011 |publisher=WNBA.com |access-date=August 22, 2011}}</ref> The deal would allow the Boost Mobile logo to be placed on eleven of the 12 teams' jerseys (excluding San Antonio) in addition to branding on the courts and in arenas. A source said the deal is a "multiyear, eight-figure deal".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2011/08/22/Marketing-and-Sponsorship/WNBA-Boost.aspx |title=WNBA lands Boost Mobile as top sponsor |date=August 22, 2011 |publisher=Sports Business Journal |access-date=August 22, 2011}}</ref>

Before the start of the 2011 season, every team announced a new look for their uniforms. The supplier of the uniforms for the league, Adidas, upgraded all teams to new high-tech designs, much like they did for the NBA before the start of their season.

On April 8, 2019, the WNBA announced a multiyear marquee partnership with AT&T, making them the first non-apparel partner to have its logo featured on the front of all 12 team jerseys. The jerseys officially debuted during the 2019 WNBA draft.<ref>{{cite web |title=AT&T and WNBA Announce Landmark Marquee Partnership |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/att-and-wnba-announce-landmark-marquee-partnership/ |website=WNBA.com |access-date=May 23, 2019 |date=April 8, 2019}}</ref>

In 2020, the league launched WNBA Changemakers, a collective of businesses committed to the advancement of women in sports. The business partners that make up the collective provide direct financial investment to the WNBA as well as marketing amplification through collaborations.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=WNBA Announces Progressive WNBA Changemakers Partnership Platform To Elevate The WNBA And Women's Sports - WNBA |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-announces-progressive-wnba-changemakers-partnership-platform-to-elevate-the-wnba-and-womens-sports |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=www.wnba.com}}</ref>

===Salaries, rosters, and collective bargaining=== Before the 2009 season, the maximum team roster size was changed from 13 players (11 active and 2 inactive) to 11 players (all active). Any team that falls below nine players able to play due to injury or any other factor outside of the control of the team will, upon request, be granted a roster hardship exception allowing the team to sign an additional player or players so that the team will have nine players able to play in an upcoming game or games. As soon as the injured (or otherwise sidelined) player(s) can play, the roster hardship player(s)—not any other player on the roster—must be waived. In March 2014, the WNBA and players signed a new, eight-year collective bargaining agreement, increasing the number of players on a roster to 12.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/10565327/wnba-players-union-agree-8-year-collective-bargaining-agreement|title=WNBA, players' union agree to 8-year CBA|date=March 7, 2014}}</ref>

The WNBA draft is held annually every spring. The minimum age is 22 years for American players and 20 years for international players, measured as of December 31 of the calendar year of the draft. For draft purposes, "American" includes those born in the U.S., as well as those who have enrolled in a U.S. college or university, regardless of their citizenship. The draft is three rounds long, with each of the 12 teams in the league (trades aside) getting three picks each. The draft order for the eight teams that made the playoffs the previous year are based on team records, and the team with the highest previous record will pick last. For the remaining top four picks, a selection process similar to the NBA draft lottery is conducted for the four teams that did not qualify for the playoffs.

Previously, in 2008, a new six-year collective bargaining agreement was agreed upon between the players and the league. The salary cap for an entire team in 2010 was $827,000 (although it was later lowered to $775,000). By 2013 (the sixth year under this agreement), the cap for an entire team was $900,000. In 2010, the ''minimum'' salary for a player with three-plus years of experience was $51,000 while the ''maximum'' salary for a six-plus year player was $101,500 (the first time in league history that players can receive over $100,000). The minimum salary for rookies was $35,190.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://womensbasketballonline.com/wnba/rosters/salary.html|title=Women's basketball salary|access-date=2013-03-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801060900/http://womensbasketballonline.com/wnba/rosters/salary.html|archive-date=2013-08-01|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.womensbasketballonline.com/wnba/wnbacba08.pdf|title=Women's basketball 2008|access-date=2013-03-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801064634/http://www.womensbasketballonline.com/wnba/wnbacba08.pdf|archive-date=2013-08-01|url-status=dead}}</ref> Many WNBA players supplement their salaries by playing in European, Australian, or more recently Chinese women's basketball leagues during the WNBA offseason. The WNBA pays its female players less than their NBA counterparts, although this is attributed to the much greater revenues of the NBA; however the WNBA has been criticized for "paying its players a lower share of revenue than the NBA".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/basketballs-gender-wage-gap-is-even-worse-than-you-think/ |title=Basketball's Gender Wage Gap Is Even Worse Than You Think |publisher=VICE Sports |date=12 August 2015 |last1=Berri |first1=David |access-date=5 April 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160406131910/https://sports.vice.com/en_us/article/basketballs-gender-wage-gap-is-even-worse-than-you-think |archive-date=6 April 2016}}</ref>

The decision of superstar Diana Taurasi to sit out the 2015 WNBA season was seen by some in the media as a harbinger of salary-related troubles in the future. The Russian club for which she was playing at the time, UMMC Ekaterinburg, offered her a bonus well over the league's maximum player salary to sit out that season. Taurasi accepted, largely because she had not had an offseason since playing college basketball more than a decade earlier. Such offers have often been made to star American players, including Taurasi herself, but none were accepted until Taurasi did so in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/12272036/diana-taurasi-decision-sit-spark-wnba-salary-changes |title=Diana Taurasi's decision to sit out should spark WNBA salary changes |first=Kate |last=Fagan |work=ESPN.com |date=February 4, 2015 |access-date=September 14, 2015}}</ref>

A more recent incident that led to widespread media comment on the WNBA's salary structure was the torn Achilles suffered by reigning WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart while playing for another Russian side, Dynamo Kursk, in the 2019 EuroLeague Women final. The injury came at a time when the WNBA and its players' union were preparing to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://grandstandcentral.com/2018/sports/basketball/yes-the-wnba-wage-gap-is-real/ |title=Yes, the WNBA Wage Gap is a Real Thing |first=Al |last=Neal |publisher=Grandstand Central |date=July 13, 2018 |access-date=July 1, 2019}}</ref> following the union's announcement in November 2018 that it would opt out of the current CBA after the 2019 season. With overseas leagues offering much higher salaries to many players than the WNBA currently provides, roughly 70% of the league's players go overseas in any given season. While these players do not necessarily play as many games as NBA players do in their seasons, even participants in the NBA Finals get several months of rest in the offseason, something not available for WNBA players who also play overseas.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/storm/breanna-stewarts-achilles-injury-underscores-need-for-wnba-to-find-solution-to-pay-issue/ |title=Breanna Stewart's Achilles injury underscores need for WNBA to find solution to pay issue |first=Larry |last=Stone |newspaper=The Seattle Times |date=April 19, 2019 |access-date=April 26, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/wnba/mercury/2019/04/14/breanna-stewart-injury-have-major-impact-wnba-cba-talks/3470025002/ |title=WNBA star Breanna Stewart to miss season after Achilles injury in EuroLeague championship |first=Jeff |last=Metcalf |newspaper=Arizona Republic |date=April 14, 2019 |access-date=April 26, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Voepel Stewie">{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/26532729/could-breanna-stewart-injury-tipping-point-wnba-negotiations |title=Could Breanna Stewart's injury be tipping point in WNBA negotiations? |first=Michael|last=Voepel|author-link=Michael Voepel |website=ESPN.com |date=April 17, 2019 |access-date=April 26, 2019}}</ref> In a story on the ramifications of Stewart's injury, Michael Voepel of ESPN had this to say about the lead-in to the injury:<ref name="Voepel Stewie"/>{{blockquote|For Stewart, her 2018 went like this: playing in China, brief time off, WNBA season, World Cup in the Canary Islands, brief time off, playing in Russia. She hasn't had significant recovery time since before her senior season at UConn. Now, she'll have time away from playing but while going through rehab and physical therapy.}}

The current CBA, which took effect in 2020, significantly increased minimum and maximum salaries. The minimum league salary in 2020 was $57,000 for players with less than three years of experience, and $68,000 otherwise. For most players, the 2020 maximum salary was $185,000; players who met specified criteria for league service had a maximum of $215,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wnbpa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/WNBA-WNBPA-CBA-2020-2027.pdf |title=Article V, Sections 7 and 8: Minimum Player Salary, Maximum Player Salary |work=Women's National Basketball Association Collective Bargaining Agreement |publisher=Women's National Basketball Players Association |pages=36–37 |date=January 14, 2020 |access-date=October 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128051044/https://wnbpa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/WNBA-WNBPA-CBA-2020-2027.pdf |archive-date=January 28, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>

WNBA players are awarded bonuses for certain achievements. Some of the bonuses given by the league (amount is per player), from 2020 to 2027 (the duration of the current CBA): WNBA champion: $11,356; Runner-up: $5,678; Most Valuable Player: $15,450; All-WNBA First Team member: $10,300; and All-Star Game participant: $2,575.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wnbpa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/WNBA-WNBPA-CBA-2020-2027.pdf |title=Article IX, Section 2: Merit Bonuses |work=Women's National Basketball Association Collective Bargaining Agreement |publisher=Women's National Basketball Players Association |pages=87–88 |date=January 14, 2020 |access-date=October 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128051044/https://wnbpa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/WNBA-WNBPA-CBA-2020-2027.pdf |archive-date=January 28, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> These were only modest increases from amounts provided before 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://womensbasketballonline.com/wnba/rosters/salary.html|title=womensbasketballonline.com|access-date=2013-03-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801060900/http://womensbasketballonline.com/wnba/rosters/salary.html|archive-date=2013-08-01|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In recent years, the lack of roster space for rookies, thus hampering their professional development, has become a major issue. While the 2020 CBA led to maximum player salaries nearly doubling from 2019 to 2022, the team cap only increased by slightly less than 40% in that period. Because the cap is a hard cap, many WNBA teams now carry only 11 players on their rosters instead of the maximum 12, leading Stewart to state "We're at a tipping point. . . . without some easy tweaks, we are no longer a league that has 12 teams and 144 players — it's more like 133." The WNBA also has no developmental league similar to the NBA G League; Chiney Ogwumike, a vice president of the players' union, publicly called for such a league. While roster limits have always been a significant issue in the league—between the first WNBA draft in 1997 and 2021, more than 40% of drafted players never made a roster—this became especially apparent at the dawn of the 2020s. In one notable example, the 2019 Naismith Trophy winner Megan Gustafson did not make an opening-day roster in 2019, and had only played in parts of the 2019–2021 seasons before being cut in the 2022 preseason. This issue gained major publicity during the week before the start of the 2022 season. The Minnesota Lynx, which began that week with barely over $12,000 of cap room, cut six players, including the 2020 Rookie of the Year Crystal Dangerfield, their 2021 first-round pick Rennia Davis, and both of their 2022 draft picks. The Seattle Storm, whose first 2022 draft pick was in the middle of the second round, waived that pick (Elissa Cunane), and the Las Vegas Aces waived both of their picks, one of them a first-rounder.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.courant.com/sports/connecticut-sun/hc-sp-wnba-hard-salary-cap-cba-cuts-2022-season-breanna-stewart-expansion-20220504-pmegdahoj5dl5mr5daejx2dwye-story.html |title=WNBA players and coaches voice issues with hard salary cap, expansion as talented players across league get cut |first=Lila |last=Blomberg |newspaper=Hartford Courant |date=May 4, 2022 |access-date=May 5, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba-sky-head-coach-james-wade-points-out-grim-reality-as-roster-moves-begin-to-cut-deep-223840365.html |title=Sky head coach James Wade points out grim reality as WNBA roster moves begin to cut deep |first=Cassandra |last=Negley |website=Yahoo Sports |date=May 3, 2022 |access-date=May 5, 2022}}</ref>

Another clause in the 2020 CBA, known as the "prioritization" clause, has been viewed as a potential problem for the league. Because of overseas league commitments, a significant number of WNBA players have reported late to training camp each season. Several overseas leagues and continental club competitions overlap with WNBA training camps, and even with the start of the WNBA season. For example, 55 WNBA players missed the start of training camp in 2021, meaning that most teams were unable to start practice with their full rosters.<ref name=Hruby>{{cite web|url=https://justwomenssports.com/under-new-cba-could-wnba-players-skip-season-to-just-play-overseas/ |title=Under New CBA, Could WNBA Players Skip Season to Just Play Overseas? |first=Emma |last=Hruby |website=Just Women's Sports |date=June 11, 2021 |access-date=August 16, 2022}}</ref> Starting in 2023, teams are required to fine players with more than two years of WNBA experience who miss the start of training camp. (Exemptions are provided for national team commitments, graduations, and other significant life events.) Starting in 2024, the league can penalize a veteran player who does not report to camp with a season-long suspension without pay.<ref name=Negley20220211>{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/what-is-wnba-prioritization-potentially-a-huge-problem-and-breanna-stewart-knows-it-164027224.html |title=What is WNBA prioritization? Potentially a huge problem, and Breanna Stewart knows it |first=Cassandra |last=Negley |website=Yahoo Sports |date=February 11, 2022 |access-date=August 16, 2022}}</ref> In a 2021 episode of a podcast hosted by Napheesa Collier and A'ja Wilson, Collier raised the prospect of players choosing to abandon the WNBA for higher overseas salaries, telling Wilson "If I'm not making that much in the league, if it's not enough for me to survive on during the year, I'm going overseas and having the summer off."<ref name=Hruby/> When Stewart re-signed with the Seattle Storm as a free agent before the 2022 season, she cited the prioritization clause as the reason she only signed a one-year contract.<ref name=Negley20220211/>

==== Player revenue ==== There are many factors that play into the smaller wages WNBA players receive during their season, but two major contributors are revenue and viewership numbers and the allocation of funds by both the NBA and the WNBA. It is estimated that wages for NBA players take up 50% of the league's annual revenue, while WNBA players only receive 20% of their league's income.<ref name=":13">{{Cite journal |last=Etienne |first=Lerae |date=2019 |title=It's Time to Pay Up, the Justification for Higher Salaries for WNBA Players: An Analysis of the WNBA's Success and Employing Mediation Between the WNBA and NBA to Leverage Future Success |journal=Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Journal |volume=19 |issue=2 |pages=175–200 |via=Hein Online}}</ref> Kelsey Plum said in an interview with The Residency Podcast, "We're not asking to get paid what the men get paid. We're asking to get paid the same percentage of revenue shared."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kelsey Plum corrects 'huge misconception' about WNBA pay gap |url=https://justwomenssports.com/article/wnba-basketball-kelsey-plum-revenue-sharing-pay-gap/ |access-date=2023-10-10 |work=Just Women's Sports |date=November 29, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title='Where the hell have you been?' ask WNBA followers over the outrage at Caitlin Clark's salary |work=CBC |date=18 April 2024 |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/caitlin-clark-salary-wnba-1.7177262 |access-date=30 April 2024}}</ref>

==== Player marketing agreements ==== Player marketing agreements (PMAs), introduced in the 2021–22 offseason, are league contracts that pay select WNBA players for year‑round marketing and promotional work on behalf of the league.<ref name=":22">{{Cite news |last=Vorkunov |first=Mike |title=Inside the deals that aim to keep the faces of the WNBA at home |work=The New York Times |date=July 31, 2023 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4016689/2022/12/20/wnba-player-marketing-agreements/ |access-date=2023-10-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Megdal |first=Jackie Powell, Howard |date=2022-12-08 |title=Ten players already have marketing deals with WNBA |url=https://www.thenexthoops.com/features/these-ten-players-with-wnba-marketing-deals-marketing-deals-are-already-paying-dividends/ |access-date=2023-10-10 |work=The Next}}</ref> The league was expected to spend about $1 million annually on PMAs, with funds divided among participating players and individual contracts capped at $250,000. PMAs provide additional offseason income and are also intended to encourage players to remain stateside. Players have cited varied reasons for signing PMAs, including the need to rest or rehabilitate injuries and childcare responsibilities.<ref name=":22" /> However, most top WNBA players have opted not to sign PMAs, citing concerns that the agreements limit other name, image, and likeness opportunities.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Costabile |first=Annie |date=2025-11-21 |title=The WNBA’s Million-Dollar Offer Isn’t What It Seems |url=https://frontofficesports.com/wnba-cba-million-dollar-offer/ |access-date=2026-02-18 |website=Front Office Sports |language=en}}</ref>

==== NBA support ==== The WNBA is half-owned by the NBA and receives between $10–$15 million annually to subsidize the league from the NBA's yearly revenue, which in 2022, reached up to $10 billion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gender pay gap is leading to dangerous realities for our athletes |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/SB-Blogs/COVID19-OpEds/2022/08/22-Lee.aspx |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=www.sportsbusinessjournal.com |archive-date=September 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928045319/https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/SB-Blogs/COVID19-OpEds/2022/08/22-Lee.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> Six WNBA teams are considered sister teams to the NBA teams based in the same areas and are directly connected to those NBA teams and their markets. The NBA's allotment of funding to all WNBA teams, not just sister teams, has been discussed in many academic and sports analysis circles, with some authors arguing that the NBA should be doing more to support the WNBA if they want the league to succeed.<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal |last=Kennelly |first=Sarah |date=2020 |title=Still Looking for That "M": How Inequity Affects WNBA Players and What the League Should Improve in Its Collective Bargaining Agreement |journal=Women's Rights Law Reporter |volume=42 |issue=1/2 |pages=110–133 |via=Hein Online}}</ref> Sponsorship and television deals continue to be an area where the WNBA creates less revenue than their NBA counterparts, with the WNBA bringing in $25 million from ESPN and the NBA bringing in $930 million from ESPN and TNT. Some argue that the NBA could be working harder to bridge that gap between organizations and either share more revenue from deals or help the WNBA create their own more profitable agreements.<ref name=":02" />

In July 2024, the WNBA negotiated a new media rights deal as part of a total package with the NBA valued at $77 billion. Prior to re-negotiating their deal, the WNBA media rights were only valued at $60 million a year. Under the new deal, the WNBA can expect to earn $200 million a year for the next eleven years, more than a 300% increase over previous years,<ref name="sherwood.news">{{Cite web |title=The mysterious finances of the WNBA |url=https://sherwood.news/business/wnba-mysterious-finances-salaries/ |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=Sherwood News |date=September 25, 2024 |language=en-US}}</ref> but because the media deal lumps the NBA together with the WNBA, the true valuation of the WNBA media rights remains unknown.<ref name=":7">{{Cite news |last=Strauss |first=Ben |date=June 11, 2024 |title=The WNBA is exploding. But for TV rights, the NBA is still in charge. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/06/11/wnba-tv-deal-nba/ |access-date=September 28, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>

===Merchandise=== ====2021==== The following shows the top merchandise sales during the 2021 season, based on sales through the WNBA's official online store.<ref name="2021 jerseys">{{cite press release|url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnbas-most-popular-merchandise/ |title=WNBA's Most Popular Merchandise |publisher=WNBA |date=September 23, 2021 |access-date=September 23, 2021}}</ref>

However, a story by NBC Sports journalist Alex Azzi argued that the WNBA's merchandise rankings were misleading for multiple reasons.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/don-t-misled-wnba-top-000311744.html |title=Don't be misled by the WNBA's top 10 jersey list |work=NBC Sports: On Her Turf |publisher=Yahoo Sports |date=September 23, 2021 |accessdate=October 2, 2021 |archive-date=October 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211003032509/https://sports.yahoo.com/don-t-misled-wnba-top-000311744.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> * At any given time, the WNBA has at most 144 players, but at the time of the story, "ready to ship" replica team jerseys were available for fewer than 20 of them. Many of the league's top players in the 2021 season were not among those with "ready to ship" jerseys. The only such jersey available for Jonquel Jones, who would be named league MVP shortly after the story ran, was a replica of the jersey she wore in that season's All-Star Game, and not her Connecticut Sun jersey. The league's leading scorer that season, Tina Charles, had no ready-made jersey available for sale. Also, not all of the ready-made jerseys were available in youth sizes. All other player replica jerseys must be custom-ordered, which take longer to ship, cost more, and are only available in adult sizes. The only Minnesota Lynx player with a ready-made jersey, Maya Moore, had not played in the league since 2018 (and would formally announce her retirement in 2023). * Some teams, among them the Lynx, offer a larger variety of ready-made replica jerseys in their online team stores. Also, Dick's Sporting Goods, which had entered into a multi-year marketing agreement with the league shortly before the story ran, has a wider availability of such jerseys than the WNBA online store. However, the league's official merchandise rankings do not include sales through any outlets other than its online store. * While over 80% of WNBA players are black, the top three on this list, as well as four of the top five, are white.<!--Only non-white in the top five is Wilson. The other white on the list is EDD.--> A study by two researchers at the University of Massachusetts published earlier in 2021 concluded that after controlling for points and rebounds, white players individually averaged twice as much media mentions as black players during the 2020 season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/SB-Blogs/COVID19-OpEds/2021/05/24-IsardMelton.aspx?hl=risa+isard&sc=0 |title=Make this the season we end discriminatory sports coverage |first1=Risa F. |last1=Isard |first2=Dr. E. Nicole |last2=Melton |publisher=Sports Business Journal |date=May 24, 2021 |accessdate=October 2, 2021 |archive-date=October 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211003032510/https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/SB-Blogs/COVID19-OpEds/2021/05/24-IsardMelton.aspx?hl=risa+isard&sc=0 |url-status=dead }}</ref> This discrepancy was specifically called out by white UConn superstar Paige Bueckers during her acceptance speech at the 2021 ESPY Awards, and Azzi argued that it contributed to the perceived racial bias in the WNBA merchandise rankings.

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%" |- !colspan=11|Jersey Sales |- align=center !width=7%|Rank |width=9.3%| '''1''' ||width=9.3%| '''2''' ||width=9.3%| '''3''' ||width=9.3%| '''4''' ||width=9.3%| '''5''' ||width=9.3%| '''6''' ||width=9.3%| '''7''' ||width=9.3%| '''8''' ||width=9.3%| '''9''' ||width=9.3%| '''10''' |- !width=7%|Player | Sabrina Ionescu || Sue Bird || Diana Taurasi || A'ja Wilson || Breanna Stewart || Candace Parker || Skylar Diggins-Smith || Elena Delle Donne || Maya Moore || Liz Cambage |- !width=7%|Team | Liberty || Storm || Mercury || Aces || Storm || Sky || Mercury || Mystics || Lynx || Aces |}

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%" |- ! colspan="6" |Team Sales |- align=center !width=7%|Rank | '''1''' | '''2''' | '''3''' | '''4''' | '''5''' |- !width=7%|Team |align=center| Seattle Storm |align=center| New York Liberty |align=center| Las Vegas Aces |align=center| Phoenix Mercury |align=center| Chicago Sky |}

====2024==== The arrival of Caitlin Clark in 2024 led to unprecedented public interest in the WNBA, and subsequently the league's merchandise was being sold in record numbers, both player-specific and league-wide, such as the orange WNBA hoodie. Clark had the most jerseys sold during the year's first half, with the rankings also featuring two other rookies in Angel Reese and Kate Martin.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/07/19/wnba-first-half-jersey-sales-fanatics/|title=WNBA garners record sales across Fanatics network |author=Hunter, Xavier |publisher=Sports Business Journal|date=July 19, 2024 |access-date=September 23, 2024}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%" |- !colspan=11|Jersey Sales |- align=center !width=7%|Rank |width=9.3%| '''1''' ||width=9.3%| '''2''' ||width=9.3%| '''3''' ||width=9.3%| '''4''' ||width=9.3%| '''5''' |- !width=7%|Player |Caitlin Clark || Angel Reese || Sabrina Ionescu || Kate Martin || A'ja Wilson |- !width=7%|Team |Fever || Sky || Liberty || Aces || Aces |}

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%" |- !colspan=6|Team Sales |- align=center !width=7%|Rank |width=9.3%| '''1''' ||width=9.3%| '''2''' ||width=9.3%| '''3''' ||width=9.3%| '''4''' ||width=9.3%| '''5''' |- !width=7%|Team | Indiana Fever || Chicago Sky || New York Liberty || Las Vegas Aces || Seattle Storm |}

====2025==== In the first half of 2025, the best-selling jerseys were as shown below.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsdunia.com/wnba-records/wnba-most-popular-jerseys-list|title=Most Popular WNBA Jerseys: Top Sellers in 2025|date=January 7, 2025 |publisher=SportsDunia}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%" |- !colspan=11|Jersey Sales |- align=center !width=7%|Rank |width=9.3%| '''1''' ||width=9.3%| '''2''' ||width=9.3%| '''3''' ||width=9.3%| '''4''' ||width=9.3%| '''5''' ||width=9.3%| '''6''' ||width=9.3%| '''7''' ||width=9.3%| '''8''' ||width=9.3%| '''9''' ||width=9.3%| '''10''' |- !width=7%|Player |Caitlin Clark || Paige Bueckers || Kate Martin || Angel Reese || A'ja Wilson || Hailey Van Lith || Cameron Brink || Napheesa Collier || Kamilla Cardoso || Sabrina Ionescu |- !width=7%|Team |Fever || Wings || Valkyries || Sky || Aces || Sky || Sparks || Lynx || Sky || Liberty |}

===Presidents and commissioners=== The title of the league's chief executive was "President" before Cathy Engelbert became the first "Commissioner". * Val Ackerman, 1996–2005 * Donna Orender, 2005–2010 * Chris Granger, 2011 (interim) * Laurel J. Richie, 2011–2015 * Lisa Borders, 2015–2018<ref name=LBStepDown>{{cite web |title=WNBA President Lisa Borders Steps Down to Become First-Ever President and CEO of Time's Up |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-president-lisa-borders-steps-down-president-ceo-times-up/ |access-date=December 22, 2018 |date=October 2, 2018 |publisher=WNBA}}</ref> * Mark Tatum, 2018–2019 (interim) * Cathy Engelbert, 2019–present<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/26754371/wnba-tabs-ceo-engelbert-1st-commissioner |title=WNBA tabs CEO Engelbert as 1st commissioner |first=Michael|last=Voepel |author-link=Michael Voepel|website=ESPN.com |date=May 15, 2019 |access-date=May 15, 2019}}</ref>

==Attendance== thumb|300px|right|WNBA attendance 1997–2023 In the inaugural 1997 WNBA season, average attendance for the regular season was 9,661 attendants with 112 games played. Average attendance increased by 12% the following year in 1998 over 150 games. By 2000, the regular WNBA season consisted of 256 games and attendance dropped with an average of 9,142 attendants per game from 2000 to 2003. Beginning in 2003, attendance dropped at a rate of approximately 5% year-over-year until 2006 when average attendance was 7,479. From 2007 to 2014, attendance numbers remained relatively steady with a low of 7,457 in 2012 and a high of 8,039 in 2009.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=WNBA Attendance - Across the Timeline |url=https://www.acrossthetimeline.com/wnba/attendance.html#set=overallseason |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=www.acrossthetimeline.com}}</ref>

In 2015, the WNBA's attendance per game decreased by 3.4% to 7,318. This was a record low for the WNBA since it was established in 1997. The relocation of the San Antonio Stars to Freeman Coliseum and the Tulsa Shock to Arlington likely contributed to particularly large drops in attendance in 2015 (−37.4% and −7.2% respectively). With record low attendance, the WNBA sought to improve their branding effort for the following 20th anniversary season and the WNBA President, Laurel J. Richie, discussed creating an expansion committee to evaluate if and how the WNBA should go about expanding their reach.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 21, 2015 |title=With 20th season ahead, league sees attendance, ratings drop |url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2015/09/21/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/WNBA.aspx |access-date=2016-10-02 |website=Sports Business Daily}}</ref>

Attendance in 2016 and 2017 recovered slightly with average attendance at 7,655 and 7,716 respectively, but the 2018 and 2019 seasons each set the lowest average attendance in WNBA history (6,769 and 6,535 respectively). However, about half of the decline in attendance from 2017 to 2018 was due to the New York Liberty moving from 19,812-seat Madison Square Garden to the 5,000-seat Westchester County Center. While the Liberty had averaged over 9,000 fans in 2017, James Dolan, then the team's owner, noted that roughly half of the team's attendance in that season came from complimentary tickets.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.msureporter.com/2019/01/31/wnba-dip-in-attendance-lowest-in-league-history|title=WNBA: Dip in attendance lowest in league history|work=MSU Reporter|date=January 31, 2019|access-date=2019-01-31}}</ref> Similarly in 2019, the Washington Mystics moved from the 20,356-seat Capital One Arena to the 4,111-seat Entertainment and Sports Arena. The Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty each saw double-digit percentage losses in 2019, but half of the league's teams saw attendance increases in that season, and the number of sellouts was the same in both seasons (41).<ref name="SBD 2019">{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2019/09/10/Research-and-Ratings/WNBA-Turnstile-Tracker.aspx |title=WNBA Turnstile Tracker: Attendance Down At End Of Regular Season |first1=Andrew |last1=Levin |first2=David |last2=Broughton |work=Sports Business Daily |date=September 10, 2019 |access-date=October 18, 2019}}</ref>

With plans to expand the number of games played by each team from 34 to 36 regular season games, and with the introduction of the mid-season Commissioner's Cup tournament to be broadcast on ESPN and ABC, the league had high hopes for the 2020 WNBA season, but that was derailed when the season was postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic on April 3. Instead, the league held an abbreviated 22-game regular season at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, with no fans in attendance. The 2021 WNBA season was also shortened to a 32-game regular season and attendance numbers remained low with an average of 2,620 people in attendance per game, likely due to persistent fears around the COVID-19 virus and new protocols put in place for large indoor venues. By 2022, average attendance had rebounded to 5,646 and in 2023 attendance had recovered to pre-pandemic numbers with 6,615 average attendance per game.<ref name=":5" />

2024 turned out to be a breakout season for WNBA attendance, with an average of 9,807 fans per game and an increase of 48% over the 2023 season. Three games drew more than 20,000 fans during the 2024 season, including a record-breaking attendance of 20,711 fans when the Indiana Fever visited the Washington Mystics on September 19.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |date=2024-09-27 |title=WNBA touts 48% jump in regular-season crowds |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/41477940/wnba-touts-48-attendance-jump-23m-fans-attend-games |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> A surge in interest in women's college basketball preceded the 2024 WNBA season, with viewership of the 2024 women's NCAA championship game up over 90% from the previous season and marking the first time in NCAA history where viewership for the women's championship game exceeded the men's.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Women's College Basketball Championship Game Draws Record-Breaking 18.9 Million Viewers |url=https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2024/womens-college-basketball-championship-draws-record-breaking-18-9-million-viewers/#:~:text=Viewership%20to%20the%202024%20women's,compared%20with%20the%202022%20audience. |access-date=2024-09-29 |work=Nielsen}}</ref> Sports analysts cite intense interest in the incoming 2024 rookie class, led by number one draft pick Caitlin Clark, as the reason for the dramatic increases in attendance, dubbing her ability to drive up ticket sales "Clarkonomics".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cox |first=Courtney |date=March 6, 2024 |title=When Caitlin Clark Comes to Town |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/06/upshot/caitlin-clark-popularity-attendance.html |access-date=September 28, 2024 |work=The New York Times}}</ref>

{{hidden begin|expanded=y|titlestyle=background:#ffe6bd|border=1px #aaa solid|ta1=center|title=Attendance}} {{hidden begin|border=1px #aaa solid|ta1=center|title=1990s}} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto" |- ! rowspan="2"|Year ! colspan="12"|Team ! colspan="2"|League |- ! CHA ! CLE ! DET ! HOU ! LA ! MIN ! NY ! ORL ! PHX ! SAC ! UTA ! WAS ! Regular season ! Post{{shy}}season |- |'''1997''' |8,307 |7,971 | |9,814 |8,937 | |13,270 | |13,703 |7,858 |7,611 | |9,684 |14,849 |- |'''1998''' |8,561 |10,350 |10,229 |12,602 |7,653 | |14,935 | |13,764 |6,578 |8,104 |15,910 |10,869 |11,964 |- |'''1999''' |7,080 |9,350 |8,485 |11,906 |7,625 |10,494 |14,047 |9,801 |12,219 |8,626 |7,544 |15,306 |10,207 |12,647 |} {{hidden end}} {{hidden begin|border=1px #aaa solid|ta1=center|title=2000s}} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto" |- ! rowspan="2"|Year ! colspan="20"|Team ! colspan="2"|League |- ! ATL ! CHA ! CHI ! CLE ! CON ! DET ! HOU ! IND ! LA ! MIA ! MIN !NY !ORL !PHX ! POR !SAC !SA !SEA !UTA ! WAS ! Regular season ! Post{{shy}}season |- |'''2000''' | |5,685 | |8,596 | |6,716 |12,255 |12,267 |6,563 |7,983 |7,290 |14,498 |7,363 |10,130 |8,317 |7,928 | |8,912 |6,420 |15,258 |9,074 |12,222 |- |'''2001''' | |6,595 | |9,211 | |6,834 |11,320 |8,683 |9,278{{efn|LA moved from The Forum to Staples Center prior to the 2001 season.}} |8,840 |7,538 |15,671 |7,430 |8,558 |8,604 |8,350 | |5,954 |6,907 |15,417 |9,074 |11,430 |- |'''2002''' | |6,667 | |9,318 | |5,686 |10,866 |8,434 |11,651 |8,828 |7,819 |14,670 |7,115 |8,737 |8,041 |9,011 | |6,989 |7,420 |16,202 |9,228 |11,537 |- |'''2003''' | |7,062 | |7,400 |6,023 |7,862 |8,835{{efn|HOU moved from Compaq Center to Toyota Center prior to the 2003 season.}} |8,340 |9,290 | |7,074 |12,123 | |8,501 | |9,125 |10,384 |7,109 | |14,042 |8,800 |9,205 |- |'''2004''' | |6,846 | | |6,707 |9,462 |8,086 |7,588 |10,428 | |7,359 |9,886{{efn|NY played six games at Radio City Music Hall in 2004.}} | |8,017 | |8,679 |8,395 |7,899 | |12,615 |8,613 |9,490 |- |'''2005''' | |5,768 | | |7,173 |9,374 |7,099 |8,382 |8,854 | |6,673 |10,140 | |7,303 | |8,542 |7,944 |8,891 | |10,088 |8,172 |8,397 |- |'''2006''' | |5,941 |3,390 | |7,417 |9,380 |7,682 |7,222 |8,311 | |6,442 |9,120 | |7,459 | |8,691 |7,397 |8,568 | |7,839 |7,490 |8,397 |- |'''2007''' | | |3,915 | |7,970 |9,749 |8,166 |7,032 |8,695 | |7,119 |8,698 | |7,737 | |8,387 |7,569 |7,974 | |7,788 |7,819 |10,312 |- |'''2008''' |8,316 | |3,656 | |7,644 |9,569 |6,585{{efn|HOU moved from Toyota Center to Reliant Arena prior to the 2008 season.}} |7,702 |9,508 | |6,968 |9,045 | |8,522 | |8,180 |7,984 |8,265 | |9,096 |7,948 |8,420 |- |'''2009''' |7,102 | |3,932 | |6,794 |8,004 | |7,939 |10,387 | |7,537 |9,800 | |8,523 | |7,744 |7,527 |7,874 | |11,338 |8,039 |9,979 |} {{notelist}} {{hidden end}} {{hidden begin|border=1px #aaa solid|ta1=center|title=2010s}} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto" |- ! rowspan="2"|Year ! colspan="14"|Team ! colspan="2"|League |- ! ATL ! CHI ! CON ! DAL ! IND ! LA ! LV ! MIN ! NY ! PHX ! SA ! SEA ! TUL ! WAS ! Regular season ! Post{{shy}}season |- |'''2010''' |6,293 |4,293{{efn|CHI moved from UIC Pavilion to Allstate Arena prior to the 2010 season.}} |7,486 | — |8,265 |9,468 | — |7,622 |11,069 |8,982 |8,041 |8,322 |4,812 |9,357 |7,834 |10,822 |- |'''2011''' |6,487 |5,536 |7,056 | — |8,054 |10,316 | — |8,447 |7,702{{efn|name=NY1|NY moved temporarily from Madison Square Garden to Prudential Center from 2011 through 2013}} |9,167 |8,751 |8,659 |4,828 |10,449 |7,954 |9,232 |- |'''2012''' |5,453 |5,573 |7,266 | — |7,582 |10,089 | — |9,683 |6,779{{efn|name=NY1}} |7,814 |7,850 |7,486 |5,203 |8,639 |7,452 |9,195 |- |'''2013''' | 5,853 | 6,601 | 6,548 | — | 8,164 | 9,869 | — | 9,381 | 7,189{{efn|name=NY1}} | 8,557 | 7,914 | 6,981 | 5,474 | 7,838 | 7,531 | 7,574 |- |'''2014''' | 5,864 | 6,685 | 5,980 | — | 7,900 | 8,288 | — | 9,333 | 8,949 | 9,557 | 7,719 | 6,717 | 5,566 | 8,377 | 7,578<ref name="SeattleTmes_blog_2014">{{cite news | title=WNBA attendance up 1 percent and increased viewership | first=Jayda | last=Evans | url=http://blogs.seattletimes.com/womenshoops/2014/08/20/wnba-attendance-up-1-percent-and-increased-viewership/ | newspaper=Seattle Times | date=August 20, 2014 | access-date=November 20, 2014}}</ref> | 8,200 |- |'''2015'''<ref name="2015_attendance_figures">{{cite web | url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2015/09/21/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/WNBA.aspx | title=With 20th season ahead, league sees attendance, ratings drop | publisher=Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal | date=September 21, 2015 | access-date=October 3, 2015 | first=John | last=Lombardo }}</ref> | 6,122 | 6,894 | 5,557 | — | 7,485 | 9,065 | — | 9,364 | 9,159 | 9,946 | 4,831{{efn|SA moved temporarily from AT&T Center to Freeman Coliseum for the 2015 season.}} | 6,516 | 5,167 | 7,714 | 7,318<ref name="2015_overall">{{cite web | title=2015 WNBA season sees lowest fan attendance in league history | author=The Sports Xchange | url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/sideline/2015-wnba-season-sees-lowest-fan-attendance-league-history | work=Las Vegas Review-Journal | date=September 16, 2015 | access-date=October 3, 2015}}</ref> | 8,799 |- |'''2016''' | 5,614 | 7,009 | 5,837 | 5,298 | 8,575 | 9,638 | — | 9,266 | 9,724 | 10,351 | 6,385 | 7,230 | — | 6,929 | 7,655<ref>{{cite web | url=http://womenshoopsworld.com/2016/09/21/wnbas-20th-season-sees-highest-attendance-in-five-years/|title=WNBA's 20th season sees highest attendance in five years|first=Sue|last=Favor|date=September 21, 2016|access-date=September 22, 2016|website=womenshoopsworld.com}}</ref> | 8,719 |- |'''2017''' | 4,452{{efn|name=ATL|ATL moved temporarily from Philips Arena, now known as State Farm Arena, to McCamish Pavilion for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.}} | 6,583{{efn|CHI moved from Allstate Arena to Wintrust Arena prior to the 2018 season.}} | 6,728 | 3,872 | 7,538 | 11,350 | — | 10,407 | 9,989 | 9,913 | 6,386 | 7,704 | — | 7,771 | 7,716<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/sep/07/wnba-attendance-grows-to-highest-level-since-2011/|title=WNBA Scores Highest Attendance In Six Years During Record-Breaking Season|first=Doug|last=Feinberg|date=September 7, 2017|access-date=January 24, 2018|newspaper=The Spokesman-Review}}</ref> | 9,590 |- |'''2018''' | 4,194{{efn|name=ATL}} | 6,358 | 6,569 | 4,752 | 6,311 | 10,642 | 5,307 | 10,036 | 2,823{{efn|name=NY2|NY moved to Westchester County Center prior to the 2018 season with Madison Square Garden as an alternate home.}} | 9,950 | — | 8,109 | — | 6,136 | 6,769 | 7,791 |- |'''2019'''<ref name="SBD 2019"/> | 4,270{{efn|ATL returned to State Farm Arena for one season.}} | 6,835 | 6,841 | 4,999 | 5,887 | 11,307 | 4,669{{efn|LV played one game at T-Mobile Arena.}} | 9,069 | 2,239{{efn|name=NY3|NY played one game at the Barclays Center.}} | 10,193 | — | 7,562{{efn|SEA moved temporarily from Climate Pledge Arena to Alaska Airlines Arena and Angel of the Winds Arena for at least the 2019 season.}} | — | 4,546{{efn|WAS moved from Capital One Arena to St. Elizabeths East Entertainment and Sports Arena prior to the 2019 season. Played one game at Capital One.}} | 6,535 | 6,082 |} {{notelist}} {{hidden end}} {{hidden begin|expanded=y|border=1px #aaa solid|ta1=center|title=2020s}} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto" |- ! rowspan="2"|Year ! colspan="13"|Team ! colspan="2"|League |- ! ATL ! CHI ! CON ! DAL ! GSV ! IND ! LA ! LV ! MIN ! NY ! PHX ! SEA ! WAS ! Regular season ! Post{{shy}}season |- |''2020'' | colspan=15 | Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was played in Bradenton, Florida without fans.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-15|title=WNBA Announces Plan To Tip Off 2020 Season|url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-announces-plan-to-tip-off-2020-season/|access-date=2020-06-17|website=WNBA|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-15|title=WNBA announces plans for 2020 season to start late July in Florida|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/mystics/wnba-announces-plans-2020-season-start-late-july-florida|access-date=2020-06-15|website=NBC Sports Washington}}</ref> |- |''2021'' | 1,347 | 3,187 | 2,992 | 2,101 | — | — | 1,221 | 2,943 | 2,696 | 1,874 | 5,849 | 2,607 | 2,183 | 2,636 | 7,783 |- |''2022'' | 2,572 | 7,180 | 5,712 | 3,788 | — | 1,776 | 5,653 | 5,607 | 7,444 | 5,327 | 7,974 | 10,632 | 3,983 | 5,679 | 8,889 |- | ''2023'' | 3,006 | 7,242 | 6,244 | 4,641 | — | 4,067 | 6,554 | 9,551 | 7,777 | 7,777 | 9,197 | 8,929 | 4,391 | 6,608 | 9,346 |- | ''2024'' | 4,744 | 8,757 | 8,451 | 5,911 | — | 17,036 | 11,045 | 11,283 | 9,292 | 12,730 | 10,715 | 11,184 | 6,542 | 9,807 | 11,947 |- | ''2025'' | 4,480 | 9,073 | 8,653 | 7,273 | 18,064 | 16,560 | 12,441 | 11,553 | 9,958 | 16,323 | 11,306 | 11,835 | 5,303 | 10,986 | 12,955 |} {{hidden end}} {{hidden end}}

==Media coverage== {{main|WNBA on ESPN|WNBA on ABC|WNBA on Lifetime|WNBA on Oxygen|WNBA on NBC|NBA on Prime Video|WNBA on CBS|WNBA on USA}}

[[File:Rebecca_Lobo_taken_by_Danny_Karwoski.jpg|thumb|right|175px|Rebecca Lobo, a former WNBA player, has transitioned into a successful broadcasting career, providing analysis and commentary on WNBA games.]]

Currently, WNBA games are televised throughout the U.S. by ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and Ion Television.

In the early years, two women-oriented networks, Lifetime and Oxygen, also broadcast games, including the first game of the WNBA. NBC showed games from 1997 to 2002 as part of their ''NBA on NBC'' coverage before the league transferred the rights to ABC/ESPN.

In June 2007, the WNBA signed a contract extension with ESPN, the first agreement to pay television rights fees to a women's professional league. The new television deal runs from 2009 to 2016. A minimum of 18 games will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 each season; the rights to broadcast the first regular-season game and the All-Star game are held by ABC. Additionally, a minimum of 11 postseason games will be broadcast on any of the three networks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/wnba/news/story?id=2937330|title=WNBA agrees to a new TV deal with ESPN/ABC|date=15 July 2007|publisher=ESPN}}</ref> Along with this deal, came the first-ever rights fees to be paid to a women's professional sports league. Over the eight years of the contract, "millions and millions of dollars" will be "dispersed to the league's teams".<ref name=one>{{cite news |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2003791039_wnbanotes16.html |title=WNBA gets first TV rights fee |date=July 16, 2007 |last=Evans |first=Jayda |work=Seattle Times |access-date=May 13, 2011}}</ref>

In 2013, the WNBA and ESPN signed a six-year extension on the broadcast deal to cover 2017–2022. In the new deal, a total of 30 games would be shown each season on ESPN networks. Each team would receive around $1&nbsp;million per year.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lefton |first=Terry |url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2013/03/28/Media/WNBA.aspx |title=ESPN Signs Six-Year Extension With WNBA That Is Worth $12M Per Year |work=Sports Business Daily |date=March 28, 2013 |access-date=2013-05-21}}</ref>

On April 22, 2019, CBS Sports Network reached a multi-year deal to televise 40 regular-season weekend and primetime WNBA games, beginning in the 2019 season.<ref>{{cite news |date=April 22, 2019|title=WNBA and CBS Sports Agree To Multi-Year Television Partnership|url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-and-cbs-sports-agree-to-multi-year-television-partnership|publisher=WNBA |location=New York |access-date=April 23, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Steinberg |first=Brian|date=April 22, 2019|title=CBS Sports, WNBA Strike TV Deal|url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/cbs-sports-wnba-tv-rights-deal-1203194367/|work=Variety }}</ref>

On April 20, 2023, Ion Television signed a multi-year deal with the WNBA to air a 15-week slate of doubleheader games on Friday nights (branded as ''WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION''), beginning with that year's regular season. It will be the first national sports broadcast carried by Ion since 2011, and marks the first ever television contract for Scripps Sports, which was founded by the E. W. Scripps Company in December 2022 to acquire sports events for Ion and the group's local television stations. The agreement also grants local rights to selected Ion O&Os for games involving regional WNBA teams, which stations may carry in early- or late-evening broadcast windows depending on tip-off time.<ref>{{cite press release|title=WNBA AND SCRIPPS PARTNER ON MULTI-YEAR AGREEMENT FOR FRIDAY NIGHT SPOTLIGHT GAMES ON ION|url=https://scripps.com/press-releases/wnba-and-scripps-partner-on-multi-year-agreement-for-friday-night-spotlight-games-on-ion/|website=The E.W. Scripps Company|date=April 20, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=WNBA partners with Scripps to show Friday night games on ION|url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/36246097/wnba-partners-scripps-show-friday-night-games-ion|agency=Associated Press|website=ESPN|publisher=ESPN Inc.|date=April 20, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|title=Scripps launches Scripps Sports division to further its sports programming initiatives|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scripps-launches-scripps-sports-division-to-further-its-sports-programming-initiatives-301704484.html|publisher=E. W. Scripps Company|via=PRNewswire|date=December 15, 2022|access-date=April 20, 2023}}</ref> The first broadcast was on May 26, 2023, when the Washington Mystics visited the Chicago Sky.<ref>{{cite web |title=WNBA and Scripps Partner on Multi-Year Agreement for Friday Night Spotlight Games for ION |url= https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-and-scripps-partner-on-multi-year-agreement-for-friday-night-spotlight-games-on-ion/ |website=WNBA.com |access-date=20 April 2023}}</ref> On June 13, 2025, the WNBA announced that they have extended their agreement with Scripps Sports to continue their Friday Night Showcase package of games on Ion Television.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-06-13 |title=WNBA extends partnership with E.W. Scripps, keeping games on ION Television |url=https://www.scrippsnews.com/sports/wnba-extends-partnership-with-e-w-scripps-keeping-games-on-ion-television |access-date=2025-06-20 |website=Scripps News |language=en}}</ref> On September 30, 2025, the WNBA announced that it has also entered an 11-year agreement with Versant, the cable spin-off company of NBCUniversal owned by Comcast shareholders, where its games will air on USA Network.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Porter |first=Rick |date=2025-09-30 |title=WNBA, Versant Sign 11-Year Rights Deal Ahead of NBCU Spinoff |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/wnba-rights-deal-versant-usa-network-1236389164/ |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Golden |first=Jessica |date=2025-09-30 |title=Versant adds WNBA media deal to its growing sports portfolio |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/30/versant-wnba-media-deal.html |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref>

Starting in 2026, the WNBA will begin a new 11-year agreement that will see games return to NBC Sports, with new airings on USA Sports, as well as remaining on ESPN/ABC and Amazon Prime Video. With this new deal, the league will distribute more than 125 games nationally (a minimum of 25 across ESPN/ABC, 50 across NBC platforms, and 30 on Prime Video) and worldwide. ESPN continues on as the league's All-Star and Draft broadcaster, Prime Video continues as the broadcaster for the league's Commissioner's Cup games, and NBC will pick up rights to all USA Basketball games. In addition, the WNBA Playoffs and Finals will see a wider distribution across the three partners, where each partner airs a first round series annually (two on ESPN/ABC and one each on NBC platforms and Prime Video), and rotates turns airing the semifinals and Finals (eight semifinals and five Finals on ESPN/ABC and seven semifinals and three Finals on NBC platforms and Prime Video). The WNBA also stated that they are expected to add additional media partners prior to the first year of the new deal. On March 25, 2026, the WNBA announced that the league reached a new long-term agreement with CBS Sports to broadcast 20 regular season games on CBS and Paramount+.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 25, 2026 |title=CBS Sports Reaches New Rights Agreement with WNBA |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/cbs-sports-wnba-new-rights-agreement |access-date=March 26, 2026 |website=WNBA |language=en}}</ref>

Some teams offer games on local radio, while all teams have some games broadcast on local television stations: {{div col}} *'''Atlanta''' – WPCH-TV *'''Chicago''' – WCIU-TV *'''Connecticut''' – NBC Sports Boston/Peacock *'''Dallas''' – WFAA, KFAA-TV<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/wnba/dallas-wings/dallas-wings-announce-2025-broadcast-schedule-28-games-on-kfaa/287-dd91d683-f130-4d5e-91e9-bf33b625b8c1|title=Dallas Wings announce 2025 broadcast schedule, including 28 games on KFAA |date=March 20, 2025 |publisher=WFAA |access-date=May 1, 2025}}</ref> *'''Indiana''' – WTHR, WALV *'''Golden State''' – KPIX-TV, KPYX *'''Las Vegas''' – KMCC *'''Los Angeles''' – Spectrum SportsNet *'''Minnesota''' – KARE-TV *'''New York''' – WNYW, WWOR *'''Portland''' – KPDX, KPTV (Rose City SportsNet)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Friend |first=Tom |date=2026-04-27 |title=RAJ Sports launches Rose City SportsNet for Fire, Thorns |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/04/27/raj-sports-launches-rose-city-sportsnet-for-fire-thorns/ |access-date=2026-04-30 |website=Sports Business Journal |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Soloway|first=Manny|title=Gray Media to launch first women’s sports-focused RSN in Portland|url=https://awfulannouncing.com/wnba/gray-media-launch-first-womens-sports-focused-rsn-portland.html|date=April 27, 2026|access-date=April 27, 2026|website=Awful Announcing}}</ref> *'''Phoenix''' – KTVK, KPHE *'''Seattle''' – KOMO-TV, KUNS *'''Washington''' – Monumental Sports Network {{div col end}}

===WNBA League Pass===

In 2009, the WNBA announced the launch of ''WNBA LiveAccess'', a feature on WNBA.com that provides fans with access to more than 200 live game webcasts throughout the WNBA season. All of the ''WNBA LiveAccess'' games are then archived for on-demand viewing. Most games (except broadcasts on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2, which are available on ESPN3) are available via this system. The first use of LiveAccess was the E League versus Chicago Sky preseason game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wnba.com/news/wnba_liveaccess_090513.html |title=WNBA.com to Webcast More than 200 Games During 2009 WNBA Season |date=May 13, 2009 |publisher=WNBA.com |access-date=June 13, 2011}}</ref>

Before the 2011 season, LiveAccess was given an overhaul, and the system became more reliable and many new features were added. Before the 2012 season, it was announced that users of LiveAccess would have to pay a $4.99 subscription fee to use the service. In 2013, this was increased to $14.99. In 2014 the streaming service was renamed WNBA League Pass.

WNBA League Pass is available as part of the WNBA App, the free mobile application available on the iPhone, iPad and Android devices and costs US$16.99 for the season. Games airing on ESPN, ESPN2 as well as other games taking place during the telecast windows of ESPN and ESPN2 games, are not available live on WNBA League Pass. However, those games will be available on-demand shortly after the conclusion of their live broadcast.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://leaguepass.wnba.com/page/help#FAQ|title = WNBA League Pass &#124; Help}}</ref>

===Viewership=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="width:auto;" |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Season ! scope="col" | Telecasts on ESPN/ESPN2/ ABC/CBS ! scope="col" | Average viewership ! scope="col" | +/− over previous |- ! scope="row" | 2005 | Regular | Unknown | 282,000 | {{up}} |- ! scope="row" | 2006 | Regular | 14 | 242,000 | {{up}} |- ! scope="row" | 2007 | Regular | 16 | 221,000 | {{down}} |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2008 | Regular | 13 | 248,000 | {{up}} |- | Playoffs | 12 | 282,000 | {{down}} |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2009 | Regular | 12 | 269,000 | {{up}} |- | Playoffs | 13 | 435,000 | {{up}} |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2010 | Regular | 18 | 258,000 | {{down}} |- | Playoffs | 7 | 370,000 | {{down}} |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2011 | Regular | 11 | 270,000 | {{up}} |- | Playoffs | 15 | Unknown | |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2012 | Regular | 10 | 180,000 | {{down}} |- | Playoffs | 19 | 301,000 | {{up}} |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2013 | Regular | 13 | 231,000<ref name="forbes2013">{{cite magazine |title=WNBA Captures Fans, Ends Regular Season With Record Growth |magazine=Forbes |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanaglass/2013/09/27/wnba-captures-fans-ends-regular-season-with-record-growth/ |date=September 27, 2013 |access-date=January 10, 2014 |first=Alana |last=Glass}}</ref> | {{up}} |- | Playoffs | 17 | 344,000<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2013/11/11/Media/By-The-Numbers.aspx |title=With rebound, WNBA solidifies spot at ESPN |website=Sports Business Journal |date=November 11, 2013 |access-date=November 12, 2013 |first1=John |last1=Ourand |first2=Austin |last2=Karp}}</ref> | {{up}} |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2014 | Regular | 19 | 240,000<ref name="espn_2014_regular">{{cite web |title=WNBA expects at least six teams to post profit |url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2014/08/18/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/WNBA.aspx |website=Sports Business Daily |publisher=Street & Smith's Sports Business Daily/Global/Journal |date=August 18, 2014 |access-date=August 20, 2014 |first=John |last=Lombardo}}</ref> | {{up}} |- | Playoffs | 10 | 489,000<ref>{{cite web |url=http://voices.suntimes.com/sports/wnba-sees-ratings-jump-in-postseason/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150412042852/http://voices.suntimes.com/sports/wnba-sees-ratings-jump-in-postseason/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 12, 2015 |title=WNBA sees ratings jump in postseason |work=Chicago Sun-Times |date=September 18, 2014 |access-date=November 12, 2014 |first=Brian |last=Sundalow }}</ref> | {{up}} |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2015 | Regular | 11 (includes 1 on ESPN) | 202,000<ref name="2015_attendance_figures" /> | {{down}} |- | Playoffs | Unknown | Unknown | |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2016 | Regular | Unknown | 224,000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2016/09/paralympics-ratings-nbcsn-world-cup-hockey-espn-viewership-wnba/|title=More Ratings: Paralympics, World Cup of Hockey, WNBA on ESPN — Sports Media Watch|date=September 23, 2016}}</ref> | {{up}} |- | Playoffs | Unknown | Unknown | |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2017 | Regular | Unknown | 171,000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2017/09/08/Media/Audience.aspx|title=Audience Analysis: WNBA Regular-Season Viewership Hits New Low For ESPN/ESPN2|publisher=Street & Smith's Sports Business Daily |date=September 8, 2017 |access-date=May 7, 2018 |first=Austin |last=Karp}}</ref> | |- | Playoffs | Unknown | 346,000<ref name=":2" /> | |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2018 | Regular | | 231,000<ref name="espnpressroom.com">{{Cite web|date=2018-08-21|title=ESPN Tips off WNBA Postseason with First Round Doubleheader Tonight|url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2018/08/espn-tips-off-wnba-postseason-with-first-round-doubleheader-tonight/|access-date=2020-08-24|website=ESPN Press Room U.S.|language=en-US}}</ref> | |- | Playoffs | | 319,000<ref name="espnpressroom.com"/> | |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2019 | Regular | | 246,000<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-09-14|title=Ratings: MLB, WNBA, Soccer, Racing|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2019/09/mlb-fox-ratings-wnba-espn-usmnt-mexico-f1-nascar/|access-date=2020-08-24|website=Sports Media Watch|language=en-US}}</ref> | |- | Playoffs | | 258,000<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-20|title=More ratings: WNBA, Racing, Hard Knocks and more|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2020/08/wnba-ratings-abc-espn-indy-500-qualifying-hard-knocks/|access-date=2020-08-24|website=Sports Media Watch|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> | |- ! scope="row" | 2021 | Playoffs | Unknown | 367,000<ref name=":2" /> | |- ! scope="row" | 2022 | Regular & Playoffs | Unknown | 412,000 | {{up}} |- ! scope="row" | 2023 | Regular & Playoffs | Unknown | 505,000 | {{up}} |- ! scope="row" | 2024 | Regular | 22 | 1,190,000<ref>{{Cite web |title=WNBA Delivers Record-Setting 2024 Season |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-delivers-record-setting-2024-season |access-date=2025-10-21 |website=www.wnba.com |language=en}}</ref> | {{up}} |- ! scope="row" | 2025 | Regular & Playoffs | 49 | 1,200,000 | {{up}} |}

==All-time franchise history (through 2025)== {{WNBA Franchise History}}

==Offseason== In July 2023, Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart announced Unrivaled, a women's professional three-on-three basketball league.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbssports.com/wnba/news/breanna-stewart-napheesa-collier-create-new-domestic-league-for-the-wnba-offseason-called-unrivaled/|title=Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier create new domestic league for the WNBA offseason called 'Unrivaled'|last=Gonzalez|first=Isabel|work=CBS Sports|date=July 6, 2023|access-date=July 8, 2023}}</ref> The league was founded, in part, to allow WNBA players to play domestically and to bypass complications from the WNBA's prioritization rule for players who choose to play overseas in the WNBA offseason. Unrivaled's inaugural season, consisting of six teams of six players debuted in January 2025 in the Miami-area community of Medley, Florida.<ref name=Yahoo>{{cite news |first=Cassandra |last=Negley |title=Unrivaled basketball league set to feature serious salaries and has the backing of some major names |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/unrivaled-basketball-league-set-to-feature-serious-salaries-and-has-the-backing-of-some-major-names-133130832.html |work=Yahoo Sports |date=May 30, 2024 |access-date=July 21, 2024}}</ref>

==See also== {{portal|Basketball|United States}} {{Div col}} * Best WNBA Player ESPY Award * List of Australian WNBA players * List of current WNBA broadcasters * List of foreign WNBA players * List of WNBA Finals broadcasters * List of WNBA career scoring leaders * List of WNBA first overall draft choices * List of WNBA head coaches * List of WNBA players * List of WNBA seasons * List of WNBA regular season records * Prominent women's sports leagues in the United States and Canada * Professional sports leagues in the United States * Timeline of women's basketball * Women's sports in the United States {{Div col end}}

==References== === Citations === {{reflist}}

=== General references === * {{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/11/AR2006071100988.html | title= A Matter of Value | access-date=July 12, 2006 |newspaper=The Washington Post | first=Thomas | last=Heath | date=July 12, 2006}} * {{cite web | url=http://www.insidehoops.com/minimum-nba-salary.shtml | title=Minimum NBA Salary |date=August 10, 2005 | access-date=September 4, 2006 | publisher=Inside Hoops}} * {{cite web | url=https://www.swishappeal.com/2018/5/1/17305038/2018-wnba-hoops-happenings-womens-basketball-nike-uniforms-breanna-stewart-wild-feminist-sue-bird |title=Hoops Happening: Today in women's basketball|date=May 1, 2018|publisher= Tamryn Spruill| access-date=September 15, 2018}}

== Further reading == * {{Cite news |last1=Vorkunov |first1=Mike |last2=Pickman |first2=Ben |date=2024-10-15 |title=How the WNBA went from an 'existential' moment to record success |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5843782/2024/10/15/wnba-success-business-cathy-engelbert/ |access-date=2024-10-16 |work=The Athletic |url-access=subscription}}

==External links== * {{Official website}} * [https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/ WNBA statistics at Basketball-Reference.com]

{{Women's National Basketball Association|state=expanded}} {{Women's professional basketball leagues}} {{Major women's sport leagues in North America}} {{Top sport leagues in the United States}} {{Subject bar|auto=y|d=y}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Women's National Basketball Association Category:1996 establishments in the United States Category:Sports leagues established in 1996 Category:Professional sports leagues in the United States Category:Women's basketball leagues in the United States Category:Professional sports leagues in Canada Category:Women's sports leagues in Canada Category:National basketball leagues