WNBA Growth and Strategic Expansion: A Look at the League’s Current Trajectory

The WNBA is undergoing a period of rapid institutional growth, marked by significant increases in viewership, franchise valuation, and expansion efforts. According to [official league data](https://www.wnba.com/), the 2024 season saw record-breaking engagement across broadcast partners and arenas, driven by a surge in interest that has prompted the league to accelerate its long-term expansion plans to include 15 teams by 2028.

Expansion Plans and New Franchise Additions

The WNBA is actively increasing its footprint through the addition of new markets. On May 23, 2024, the league officially announced that the [Golden State Valkyries](https://valkyries.com/) will begin play in San Francisco as the league’s 13th franchise starting in the 2025 season. This marks the first expansion team for the WNBA since the Atlanta Dream joined in 2008.

Following the Golden State announcement, the league confirmed in October 2024 that the [Portland WNBA franchise](https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-awards-expansion-team-to-portland) will join the league in 2026. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert stated that the league remains committed to reaching 15 teams by 2028, with active interest from multiple ownership groups in various North American cities.

Broadcast Reach and Financial Performance

The financial landscape of the WNBA has shifted significantly due to new media rights agreements. In July 2024, the WNBA’s parent organization, the NBA, finalized [11-year media rights deals](https://www.nba.com/news/nba-media-rights-deals-2025) with Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon. These agreements, which begin with the 2025-26 season, are valued at approximately $76 billion across the NBA and WNBA combined.

The league reported that the 2024 regular season was its most-watched in 24 years, with games across its national broadcast partners averaging 1.28 million viewers. This represents a substantial increase compared to previous seasons, a trend the league attributes to higher availability on national television and increased digital distribution through platforms like Prime Video.

Operational Changes and Collective Bargaining

The league’s growth has coincided with ongoing negotiations regarding player compensation and working conditions. In October 2024, the [WNBPA (Women’s National Basketball Players Association)](https://wnbpa.com/) exercised its right to opt out of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The current agreement will conclude on October 31, 2025.

According to the WNBPA, the decision to opt out is intended to secure a new deal that reflects the league’s current revenue growth and the players’ contributions to the league’s rising profile. The primary areas of focus for the upcoming negotiations include:

* Player Compensation: Adjusting salary caps and minimum pay structures.
* Travel Standards: Codifying charter flight requirements as a standard operational practice.
* Revenue Sharing: Establishing a more transparent model for how league-wide growth is distributed to athletes.

League Facts and Figures

| Category | Status/Data |
| :— | :— |
| Current Number of Teams | 12 |
| Expansion Teams Confirmed | Golden State (2025), Portland (2026) |
| Target Total Teams (2028) | 15 |
| 2024 Viewership Trend | Record-high in 24 years |
| CBA Expiration Date | October 31, 2025 |

The league enters this transitional phase with higher capital investment than at any point in its history. As the WNBA prepares for the 2025 season, the primary focus for stakeholders will be the successful integration of the Golden State Valkyries and the progression of labor negotiations between the league and the players’ union.