The WNBA is exploring the possibility of expanding its regular season to 44 games for the 2025 season, confirmed by Commissioner Cathy Engelbert on Saturday before the league’s All-Star Game.
“We’re looking at the footprint for next year,” Engelbert said, as reported by Alexa Philippou of ESPN. “We don’t have an international competition like the FIBA World Cup or the Olympics next year, so we’ll be able to look at our footprint without any interruption or break, like we’re breaking this year.”
The current collective bargaining agreement caps the number of regular-season games at 44 per team. However, Engelbert has also indicated a long-term vision for extending the season further. The introduction of new expansion teams in Golden State (2025) and Toronto (2026) will also contribute to an increased total number of games in the coming years.
The Golden State Valkyries, as the expansion team is named, is set to hold its expansion draft in December, according to Engelbert.
WNBA popularity growth supports schedule expansion
Currently, the WNBA regular season consists of 40 games per team. This season has been particularly notable for the league, with record-high attendance not seen in 26 years, new viewership records and a surge in merchandise sales and fan engagement.
“When I stood in front of you at this time last year, I knew we were poised for big things. We were preparing ourselves for big things,” Engelbert said. “But I’m just so thrilled with what we’ve been able to accomplish over the last year.”
A significant factor in this growth has been the impact of the current rookie class, led by standout players Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, both of whom participated in the All-Star Game. Engelbert praised the rookies for their contributions to the league’s increased popularity.
“I’ve been so pleased with Caitlin and all of our rookies,” Engelbert said. “A number of new fans we’re able to bring into this league is exponential from my expectations of what we were going to do. I think this rookie class has brought a lot of attention and is lifting all of our games and all of our players.”
Early rumors and speculation
The WNBA’s potential schedule expansion to 44 games for the 2025 season has been a topic of speculation for some time. An email obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times earlier this month indicated that the Chicago Sky’s home schedule would increase to 22 games next season, pending league approval, aligning with the overall WNBA schedule growing from 40 to 44 games.
The increase in games is expected to provide more inventory for media rights deals, contributing to the league’s financial growth and stability. The WNBA’s current media deal, valued at approximately $60 million per year, is set to expire after the 2025 season. The NBA, which owns about 60% of the WNBA, has been negotiating new deals. Reports suggest that the WNBA could receive around $200 million annually under the new agreements, or $2.2 billion over 11 years.
Engelbert did not go into the specifics of the deal but said, “I think we’re going to do something historic. I think once we’re able to finalize those media deals, everybody is going to understand that this is a historic time for women’s sports and the WNBA will be leading that … our next round of media deals will allow us to continue to transform this league.”
During her media availability, she also addressed the globalization of the game. WNBA is exploring opportunities to hold games internationally, with potential locations including Europe, Asia, Mexico City and the Middle East. The league has previously held exhibition games in Canada and might consider neutral sites within the U. S. to test expansion markets.
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