The WNBA tipped off its 30th season on Friday, with the New York Liberty hosting the Connecticut Sun in a game that blended nostalgia with anticipation. The Liberty wore 'court origins' uniforms referencing their status as one of the league's eight founding members, as the league celebrates a milestone year marked by record franchise valuations and significant pay rises for players.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has called the 30th season a 'transformational moment' and the 'beginning of a new era', with economic indicators supporting her optimism. In March, the Sun were sold to Tilman Fertitta, owner of the NBA's Houston Rockets, for $300m, a league-record fee. The team is expected to relocate to Houston and reclaim the Comets name, reviving a franchise that won the first four WNBA championships before disbanding in 2008 when it was valued at just $10m.
The league's expansion has accelerated rapidly. The Portland Fire joined this season for an initial $75m, while the Toronto Tempo, the first Canadian team, paid $50m. In June, further expansions to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia were announced, with fees reportedly reaching $250m per team, a new high for American women's sports. The Golden State Valkyries, who paid $50m to start in 2025, set a league record for average attendance at 18,064 and have been valued at $850m by Sportico, with CNBC estimating them as the first $1bn franchise in women's sports.
The league now has 15 teams, down from the original eight, of which only three—the Liberty, Phoenix Mercury and Los Angeles Sparks—remain in their initial cities. The WNBA's growth reflects a broader surge in women's professional sports in North America, with rising salaries and team valuations across basketball, soccer and ice hockey.
