WNBA season to tip May 16 with expansion Golden State Valkyries opening at home that night

 

[December 03, 2024]  By DOUG FEINBERG

NEW YORK (AP) — An expanded WNBA with more games and a new franchise will tip off on May 16.

The league extended its schedule to 44 games this year, up from 40, with the addition of the expansion Golden State Valkyries. The new team, which has over 20,000 season ticket deposits, will play its inaugural game at home on opening night against Los Angeles.

The WNBA is coming off a record season with its most-watched regular season in 24 years and playoffs in 25 years. Fans were also flocking to games with the highest attendance in over two decades. Last season’s rookie class, led by Indiana’s Caitlin Clark and Chicago’s Angel Reese, were a big reason.

Their two teams will face off five times with the first coming on the opening Saturday. Clark’s Fever will host the league’s All-Star Game on July 19.

“We look forward to tipping off the WNBA’s 29th season in May of 2025 and continuing to build on the success of last season, when the WNBA delivered its most-watched Draft and All-Star Game, and set records for viewership, attendance, digital consumption and merchandise sales,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “The upcoming free agency period and the 2025 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm will create a tremendous level of excitement, and we are also looking forward to the expansion Golden State Valkyries taking the court for the first time.”

The New York Liberty will celebrate their first title with a ring and banner ceremony on May 17 when they host Las Vegas. The Liberty, who beat Minnesota in a decisive fifth game in last season's championship, will face the Lynx four times with the first meeting coming July 30.

LSU's Angel Reese, left, and Iowa's Caitlin Clark, right, pose for a photo before the WNBA basketball draft, Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File)

All 13 teams will play the opening weekend.

The WNBA Commissioner's Cup will be played from June 1-17 with each team in the Eastern Conference having five games and Western Conference teams playing six. The top team from each conference will play on July 1 in the Cup Final.

The regular season ends on Sept. 11 with the expanded playoffs to take place after that. The league switched its format to a best-of-seven finals this year and the opening round will go to a 1-1-1 format with the worse seeded team hosting Game 2. In the past, the better seeded team would get the first two games on their home court.

The league will hold its draft on April 14 with UConn star Paige Bueckers expected to go first to the Dallas Wings. The television and streaming broadcast schedule will be announced at a later date.

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