The Metro: The WNBA is becoming the blueprint for women’s professional sports with new contract
A new contract for professional women’s basketball players is increasing pay and adding more games in the schedule, as well as spacing those games out for the benefit of players. What does this win mean for the rest of women’s sports?
Risa Isard is the director of research and insights at Parity, a company that works on sponsorships and marketing for women's sports.
The WNBA and its players association have reached a new collective bargaining agreement, one that many say could reshape the future of women’s sports.
The momentum was already building.
Before the announcement, The league was already set to expand to 18 teams by 2030, with new franchises launching in Toronto and Portland this year, followed by Cleveland in 2028, and Detroit and Philadelphia in 2030.
Of course, player salaries are going up, but this seven-year deal goes far beyond pay.
The WNBA isn’t just adding teams, it’s adding games. The regular season could grow from 44 to as many as 50 games by 2027, and 52 games by 2029.
And just as important, the agreement addresses what players call “cadence” or the pace of the schedule. It’ll add in new safeguards aimed at reducing long road stretches and improving travel demands.
Risa Isard is Director of Research and Insights at Parity. She joined The Metro to discuss why this deal is so crucial, and what means for the future of women’s professional sports.
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