The Future of the WNBA
By: Sarah Nayak
Over the past year, the Women’s National Basketball Association has gained massive amounts of attention due to the fiery college stars making or preparing for their debuts. This league has been filled with talent since the beginning; however, it has needed some sort of breakthrough moment, which has been granted with these electric players. With the young star Caitlin Clark making her name known during her collegiate career and rookie season, the WNBA’s revenue has skyrocketed with Clark generating 26.5% percent of their entire revenue. She has shed light on the WNBA, giving this league a new beginning and giving these hardworking female athletes a bigger spotlight to shine in. The Indian Fever has experienced a 1,300% increase in their ticket sales with the addition of Caitlin Clark. Her rivalry with Angel Reese has also made huge headlines on the media and has added to the competitive nature which the audience strives to watch. This new recognition and appreciation for the women’s league has also led to the inclusion of new teams. The WNBA is expected to have 15 teams by the 2026 season, with the addition of the Golden State Valkyries, as well as a Toronto team in the making.
These new emerging stars have given this league a new identity, especially with the WNBA draft’s number one overall pick, Paige Bueckers, preparing for her rookie season. The nation has been stunned by Paige’s stellar collegiate career, breaking numerous records held at UConn such as the NCAA Tournament Scoring Record, ranking third among UConn’s all-time scoring leaders, and being the fastest player in UConn history to reach 2,000 points in her career. The nation and March Madness fans are excited to see this rookie’s debut with the Dallas Wings this year and will hopefully be assisting the league with even more growth of revenue and recognition. This has become a bigger movement than basketball- it’s about the recognition of women’s sports, the appreciation for hardworking athletes, and the delivery of acknowledgment for a league which has gone ignored for too long.
