The WNBA is experiencing its golden period, and everyone wants to be part of it. Candace Parker recently revealed that she wishes to have a stake in a WNBA franchise. She calls this the ‘right time’ to help the league grow. A few days later, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced ‘expansion’.
As per the confirmation, the league is moving from 12 franchises in 2024 to 18 in 2030. The addition of the Golden State Valkyries in 2025 is completed, and the Portland and Toronto teams are in line for the debut next season. In addition, the league announced three new franchises, Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia, for the 2030 season. All this seems like great news for the WNBA.
But the grass is not ‘green’ as it seems, and the ‘roots’ need to be strengthened for the league to include new teams. Yes, this was the notion behind the Chicago Sky and a few current franchises in the league, and many might agree with them.
Unfinished Business For Teams Like Chicago Sky Before Looking into Expansion
The concern came out well before the expansion decision. The Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant mentioned that the league should prioritize looking after the current teams rather than adding more franchises. Bashing the expansion decision, Merchant wrote a whole piece on ‘why the league is making a wrong decision’.
“Looking around the league, current franchises in Connecticut, Los Angeles and Chicago lag behind an acceptable standard of player experience and practice facilities. Before bringing in expansion teams, the WNBA should make sure its existing organizations can handle the demands of this new era.”
This could be a very valid point for the league to consider. If top teams like the Chicago Sky and LA Sparks lack the basics of pro basketball teams, the WNBA must prioritize provisions of the same. Even until 2023, the players travelled on commercial flights. The 2022 CBA brought some facilities to WNBA players. The agreement included improved living arrangements, better player compensation, enhanced player experience, and expanded career development opportunities.
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Still, there are complaints about the pay. The discussion will be a key point in the upcoming CBA meeting. While all these basic needs were handled just two years ago, the urgency to add more teams rather than working on current franchises and players is really confusing.
Merchant pointed out some positives from the expansion, though. She mentioned that the decision highlights the league’s confidence in growth and business opportunities.
As Sabreena points out, the WNBA will lose its ‘exclusiveness’ as talent is distributed. She gives the example of the 2010 Minnesota Lynx, who had all five starters at an elite level. But with expansion teams, this might not be the case for many franchises, and fans might lose interest in such teams.
Moreover, the expansion won’t be fair to teams that have drafted well to build a team. Now, they will have to worry about the next four expansion drafts to keep hold of their key players. The WNBA should also consider taking cautious steps in making such important decisions, which will affect the league in the long run.
Is The Expansion Really Necessary For The WNBA?
Before the current extension decision, the league took 15 years to add a new franchise. The Valkyries got the nod in October 2023, and the Atlanta Dream came into existence in 2008. While this wait was worth it and understandable, the current rush to add new franchises is questionable.
One more point to consider is the league’s history. The WNBA has only three teams left from its eight-team inaugural season. Since 1997, only the New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury, and Los Angeles Sparks have been active in the league. Other teams were either dissolved or relocated. Interestingly, one of them was Cleveland Rocker. The city gets its second chance to enter the league in 2028. Interestingly, Sophie Cunningham raised questions about the choice of Cleveland and Detroit, too.
.@cameronbrink22 really wants the W to look into expanding rosters. 😤
— Straight to Cam (@straight2cam) May 26, 2025
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If the WNBA is only looking to include more talent in the league, then there are other viable options. The easiest one would be to extend the roster size. LA Sparks’ forward Cameron Brink mentioned in her podcast – Straight to Cam – that teams struggle to have a healthy roster for the season. She suggested adding one or two roster spots would allow teams better rotation and a chance for a few new players to play in the W.
Also Read: Angel Reese Names Future WNBA Team ‘Close To Home’ As League Prioritizes Major Expansion