WNBA Expansion - 16 teams by 2028?

[cdubbz]

With 16 teams, 2 conferences and an imbalanced schedule, expanding the schedule should happen if attendance/eyes on broadcasts continues to grow.

4x7 in conference, 2x8 cross-conference is 44. Or you could go to 52 with rotating home/away extra games cross-conference.

I wonder how the schedule will work too.

I'm a little concerned that cross conference teams only playing 1 home and 1 away game will stink for fans who want to watch a team from the other coast. Here in San Francisco it would be a let down to only be able to see the Liberty, Fever, Sun etc just 1 time.

[cdubbz]

Any ideas on how you guys would go about the 2026 expansion draft and or free agent class?

Has to be the biggest hurdle and i hope they already have some idea of what they want -- we've never seen back to back expansions in a pro sport have we ?

[hermes]

With 16 teams, 2 conferences and an imbalanced schedule, expanding the schedule should happen if attendance/eyes on broadcasts continues to grow.

4x7 in conference, 2x8 cross-conference is 44. Or you could go to 52 with rotating home/away extra games cross-conference.

I wonder how the schedule will work too.

I'm a little concerned that cross conference teams only playing 1 home and 1 away game will stink for fans who want to watch a team from the other coast. Here in San Francisco it would be a let down to only be able to see the Liberty, Fever, Sun etc just 1 time.

there is a little bit of that now as it is, plenty of teams only play each other 3 times. 2home-1road/1road-2home. like the lynx only played in indiana once this year. and they are both in the midwest - not on the coasts

[hermes]

Any ideas on how you guys would go about the 2026 expansion draft and or free agent class?

Has to be the biggest hurdle and i hope they already have some idea of what they want -- we've never seen back to back expansions in a pro sport have we ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expansion_draft
looks like its happened plenty of times

[cdubbz]

Any ideas on how you guys would go about the 2026 expansion draft and or free agent class?

Has to be the biggest hurdle and i hope they already have some idea of what they want -- we've never seen back to back expansions in a pro sport have we ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expansion_draft
looks like its happened plenty of times

damn MLS has multiple back to back to back to back expansions.

Didn't do too much reading on that though. 2 expansion teams plus everyone being a free agent is pretty unique

[MrDollarBills]

The owner of the Rockets is planning to submit a bid on an expansion franchise

Could this to be the return of the Comets??

[cdubbz]

The owner of the Rockets is planning to submit a bid on an expansion franchise

Could this to be the return of the Comets??

Isn't Fertitta a crappy owner? I always remember a lot of controversy on how he runs his restaurants. Feel he's an average NBA owner though.

[Ice Man]

With 18 teams, you could have 8v4 games in conference, 9x2 games out of conference, for a total of 50 games. That seems like a reasonable ending place for the length of the season. After that, it gets to be a drag. I can't be the only one who is bored with the NBA regular season by March.

[MrDollarBills]

The owner of the Rockets is planning to submit a bid on an expansion franchise

Could this to be the return of the Comets??

Isn't Fertitta a crappy owner? I always remember a lot of controversy on how he runs his restaurants. Feel he's an average NBA owner though.

Fertitta was doing a lot of cost cutting awhile back which led to Harden's departure if I recall. He may be in a better position now financially to support the Comets.

I don’t know much else about him though.

[MrDollarBills]

With 18 teams, you could have 8v4 games in conference, 9x2 games out of conference, for a total of 50 games. That seems like a reasonable ending place for the length of the season. After that, it gets to be a drag. I can't be the only one who is bored with the NBA regular season by March.

You're not alone.

The NBA regular season gets really boring once the new year ends. Add that with guys missing games for load management and I see no reason to care.

[hermes]

how much does the calendar limit the wnba's ability to lengthen their season? arena/facility availability-wise. or competing with other sports?

[MrDollarBills]

how much does the calendar limit the wnba's ability to lengthen their season? arena/facility availability-wise. or competing with other sports?

It depends. I don't think you'd want the season cutting into the NBA's especially for teams like the Liberty who share their arena with the Nets.

[cdubbz]

how much does the calendar limit the wnba's ability to lengthen their season? arena/facility availability-wise. or competing with other sports?

It depends. I don't think you'd want the season cutting into the NBA's especially for teams like the Liberty who share their arena with the Nets.

I was thinking about this the other day. I definitely think the arenas that host WNBA/NBA teams can work around the schedule especially if it were only for a few weeks. There is only a handful of arenas that do both teams so seems as easy as scheduling properly?

Looking at the Nets October/November Home schedule: Seems doable.
10/27
10/29
11/1
11/4
11/13
11/19
11/29

[bisme37]

Read on Twitter

[MrDollarBills]

Read on Twitter

Not every location is going to get a team but this is amazing to see people running to get a piece of the WNBA.

16 should be the limit for the foreseeable future.

[DOT]

Read on Twitter

Not every location is going to get a team but this is amazing to see people running to get a piece of the WNBA.

16 should be the limit for the foreseeable future.

Weird how so many cities are trying to get teams in what I've been told is a failing league.

[MrDollarBills]

Read on Twitter

Not every location is going to get a team but this is amazing to see people running to get a piece of the WNBA.

16 should be the limit for the foreseeable future.

Weird how so many cities are trying to get teams in what I've been told is a failing league.

Right. Strange how a failing league just suddenly has everyone vying for a piece of the action. It's almost as if people realized that if you put actual resources behind women's basketball, with it comes massive financial opportunities because the product is highly entertaining and the unique individuals and personalities that went untapped have actual potential to grow into real stars.

How many people will be lining up to see Phee play next season in Minnesota or on the road? A whole lot, I'd wager.

An estimated 18mil was generated for NYC by the Liberty's playoff run. You'd have to be a fool not to want in.