Benjamin Jones
The WNBA is set to announce its 28th season on Tuesday night. From the juggernaut Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty to new talent like Caitlin Clark taking the floor, the league is growing faster than ever. Here’s what you need to know.
What to watch on opening night:
There will be four games played on Tuesday night:
The New York Liberty vs. the Washington Mystics
Indiana fever versus Connecticut sunshine
The Phoenix Mercury vs. the Las Vegas Aces
The Minnesota Lynx against the storm in Seattle
2023 MVP Breanna Stewart joined Liberty in free agency last February after playing his first seven years in Seattle. Joining the main roster of Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, Betnijah Laney and Courtney Vandersloot, Stewart led the Liberty to the final, where they fell to the Las Vegas Aces.
The Fever is bringing rookie phenom Caitlin Clark to Connecticut, where tickets are already sold out at Mohegan Sun Arena — the first home opener to sell out in more than 20 years, the team said in a press release. Clark became NCAA Division I all-time player of college basketball score leader in March and, after being selected at the top of the 2024 draft, has high expectations in his first season.
While Clark is the new kid in town, the Las Vegas Aces are the big boys. The team won its second consecutive championship last year, beating Liberty 70-69 in Game 4 of the series despite missing several starting players. Even with the legend of the rim Candace Parker Retirementthe Aces still have stars in spades, returning two-time MVP A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray.
The Phoenix Mercury will be without star Brittney Griner, the team announced Monday, after the center fractured a toe on his left foot. Griner missed the entire 2022 season because of her months’ detention in a Russian prison on drug trafficking charges.
The Storm have moved on from the Breanna Stewart era, ranking third in the CBS Sports power rankings (Behind the Aces and Liberty). The team acquired forward Nneka Ogwumike and guard Skylar Diggins-Smith in free agency to assist the league’s top scorer, Jewell Lloyd.
Opening night programming will be available to watch on ESPN networks, with select games streaming on ESPN+, Disney+ and WNBA League Pass. The rest of the season will be televised on CBS, ESPN, ABC, ION, Prime Video and NBATV.
Regular season play continues through the end of September, with the All-Star Game scheduled for July 20 in Phoenix. The WNBA will pause play after the All-Star Game until August 15 of this year so that athletes can compete with their respective national teams in the Summer Olympics.
Growing the game
With the foundation laid by previous WNBA stars and the addition of new talent like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson, more eyes are on the league than ever. This year we saw a significant increase in investment in the women’s league.
The WNBA consists of just 12 teams, with 12 roster spots per team – it’s not uncommon for a drafted player to be cut from the final roster just a few weeks later. The Los Angeles Sparks drafted Brink and Jackson with the first five picks Waived the 28th overall pick McKenzie Forbes on Sunday.
Fortunately for players on the bubble, the WNBA is expanding for the first time since 2008. League Commissioner Cathy Englebert announced in October that the Golden State Warriors have been awarded a WNBA team for 2025. On Friday, CBC Sports reported that Toronto would be next, receiving an expansion team for 2026.
“It’s complex because you need arenas and training facilities, player housing and everything else, you need ownership groups that are committed for the long term. The good thing is we’re getting a lot of calls,” Englebert said. during a pre-draft press conference last month, adding that he was confident the league could grow to 16 teams by 2028.
Along with expanded employment opportunities, WNBA players will receive expanded benefits previously reserved for their male counterparts. The league announced a charter flight partnership with Delta Air Lines last week so players no longer have to fly to games on commercial airlines.
“I express my appreciation and support for a bold move by the team commissioner and governors, which in turn shows that they understand and value the health and safety of players. It’s time to be transformative. It’s time to bet on women,” WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike said in a press release.
While Clark and the Fever were seen having fun on a charter flight to Connecticut on Monday, officials from several teams told ESPN they had no word from the league about when they would be allowed to charter.
The growing investment in the WNBA is not just internal – the league’s growing profile has also brought sponsorship opportunities for athletes. Clark reportedly signed a $28 million endorsement deal with Nike, which announced an upcoming exclusive shoe with A’Ja Wilson – the first black woman to front an exclusive shoe for the company since Sheryl Swoopes in 2002.
Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand SKIMS revealed an underwear campaign Monday to celebrate her highly successful league partnership with Candace Parker, Cameron Brink, Dijonai Carrington, Kelsey Plum and Skylar Diggins-Smith. The collaboration is the first from SKIMS to feature female players. The company, valued at US$4 billion from Forbesit also has partnerships with the NBA and Team USA.
