WNBA FINALS EXPANSION ANNOUNCED

At Athletes for Freedom, we celebrate the incredible achievements of women in all fields, including sports, where they continue to make groundbreaking strides. In a major leap forward for women’s basketball, the WNBA has announced that starting in 2025, the Finals will expand to a best-of-seven series for the first time ever.

This is a huge moment, signaling that women’s basketball is matching the competitive spirit and visibility long associated with men’s sports, and it’s happening where it matters most — on the Finals stage.

WNBA players before 2024 playoffs. fever.wnba.com.

The series will follow a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the higher-seeded team hosting Games 1, 2, 5, and 7, while the lower-seeded team will host Games 3, 4, and 6. This new format reflects the WNBA’s growing stature and the increasing demand for women’s basketball.

But that’s not all. The WNBA is also expanding its regular season from 40 to 44 games in response to the overwhelming excitement from fans. This coincides with the debut of a new team, the Golden State Valkyries, joining the league. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert made it clear: “We are witnessing an incredible demand for WNBA basketball, with more cities wanting expansion teams, fans filling arenas, and record engagement across social and digital platforms. Now is the perfect time to lengthen the season and give our fans a Finals series that mirrors the high-stakes format seen in other sports.”

In another important shift, the format for the best-of-three first round of the playoffs will change as well. Previously, the higher seed hosted Games 1 and 2, but now, under a 1-1-1 structure, both teams will have the chance to host a home game, ensuring that both fanbases get a chance to see their team compete in person.

Caitlin Clark. fever.wnba.com GettyImages.

Much of the league’s surge in popularity can be attributed to rising stars like Caitlin Clark, whose performance has captivated fans worldwide. This surge has helped secure a major media rights deal worth $2.2 billion over 11 years with ESPN, NBC, and Amazon. This means that starting soon, the WNBA semifinals and Finals will rotate between Disney, NBC, and Prime Video, bringing women’s basketball to even more screens across the globe.

This evolution is proof that women’s sports are rising to new heights, and we’re proud to stand behind the women making history.