WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has announced some major changes to the league beginning next season.
Engelbert spoke ahead of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals Thursday night.
Caitlin Clark never got to play a playoff game at home this season, but will do under new rules[/caption]
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced a number of changes[/caption]
And she revealed there will be big changes to the schedule from 2025.
The Minnesota Lynx defeated the New York Liberty 95-93 in overtime to win Game 1 of the WNBA Finals.
The series is currently played over a best-of-five format.
But Engelbert announced that the Finals will increase to best-of-seven from next season.
The move brings the WNBA Finals in line with professional sports leagues such as the NBA Finals, MLB World Series and NHL Stanley Cup Finals.
The WNBA will also welcome a new team the Golden State Valkyries from the 2025 season.
And Engelbert revealed the number of regular-season games teams will play is increasing from 40 to 44.
And a big change for the first round of the playoffs was also announced after Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever never got to play at home.
The playoffs will move to a 1-1-1 format in the first round.
That means the team that hosts Game 1 will now not host Game 2 as well with the series shifting to the other venue.
This year, the Fever, Atlanta Dream, Seattle Storm and Phoenix Mercury never got to host a playoff game.
Engelbert also made a passionate statement about the league’s effort to combat hateful speech and threats.
“This growth has not come without growing pains,” she said.
“The hateful speech and threats directed at our players are troubling.
“That type of conduct is not representative of WNBA character or fanbase.
The Minnesota Lynx won Game 1 of the WNBA Finals against the New York Liberty on Thursday night[/caption]
“As a league, we stand united in condemning racism and all forms of hate.
“The WNBA is one of the most inclusive and diverse professional sports leagues in the world, and we will continue to champion those values.”
Her comments come after a season of rapid growth for the league sparked by Clark’s popularity.
Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams recently chose to play overseas in Europe.
Williams was only under contract through this year as her former team Storm was eliminated by the Las Vegas Aces in the first round of the WNBA playoffs.
She made headlines when she refuted a statement made by Engelbert that players can make up to $700,000 per year.
“That’s actually not true at all,” Williams hit back.
“There’s not one player who makes that.
WNBA changes for 2025
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced the following changes:
- WNBA Finals increasing from best-of-five to best-of-seven series
- First round of WNBA playoffs to follow a 1-1-1 format rather than one team hosting the first two games
- Each team to play 44 regular-season games, up from 40
“We were promised team marketing agreements and league marketing agreements, but they’ve fallen quite short.
“So it’s still not enough for us international players to want to stay here. And that’s a choice of the players.
“If I make a choice to make more money, whatever, and then teams are mad that I don’t come back, but that’s how it is.”
