BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — The WNBA is experiencing unprecedented growth, according to Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who spoke before Game 1 of the Finals between the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx on Thursday. She highlighted the league’s readiness to respond to this rising interest.

Beginning in 2025, the WNBA Finals will transition to a best-of-seven games format, moving away from the current best-of-five setup. The series will adopt a home-away schedule similar to the NBA, following a 2-2-1-1-1 pattern where the top-seeded team earns home-court advantage.

“This format provides our fans with a championship experience they’re used to seeing in other sports,” Engelbert stated.

Moreover, the first playoff round, currently a best-of-three series, will shift to a 1-1-1 format. This change ensures every playoff team hosts at least one game, benefitting teams like Indiana, who sold out many games this season due to the excitement around Caitlin Clark but ended up playing both of their playoff games on the road in Connecticut.

Next season, the WNBA will have 44 regular-season games, setting a new record for the 28-year-old league. There will be no international competitions in 2025, as neither the Olympics nor World Cup events are scheduled. Engelbert mentioned, “We all want to see the game grow globally, which is why much of our focus is on extending our season as we add more playoff games.”

The WNBA is also expanding, with Golden State joining in 2025 and Toronto and Portland starting in 2026. Engelbert confirmed the aim is to reach a total of 16 teams, implying one more team is expected by 2028.

To facilitate the expansion, it was announced that Golden State will select fifth in each of the three rounds of the 2025 draft, while a draft lottery set for November 17 will decide the order for the first four picks (Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, and Washington are competing for this lottery).

During her press conference, Engelbert showcased various statistics to illustrate the league’s growth. She reported considerable increases in viewership, attendance, digital engagement, and merchandise sales, highlighting a record 54 million viewers this season, up to 1 million downloads of the WNBA app, and a nearly 300% rise in social media engagement among other metrics.

“Attracting younger, more diverse audiences is crucial for the growth of sports, and we’ve seen these groups flock to the WNBA this season. Viewership among fans under 35 surged by 211%, with a remarkable 259% increase from Gen Z and Millennial women,” Engelbert noted.

However, she recognized that “this growth has not come without challenges,” alluding to the concerning issue of online harassment that many players have faced.

When asked about possible solutions to reduce online harassment, Engelbert mentioned that the league is looking into various technology solutions and intends to work closely with players and the Players’ Association to formulate a strategy for combating online hate.

Engelbert has also been discussing with players and the Players’ Association regarding the imminent November 1 deadline for players to opt out of the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement. If players choose to opt-out, negotiations will commence at the end of the next season.

Regardless of their decision, Engelbert stated, everyone shares a common objective: “To elevate this league for future generations.”