The W turns 30 this year, welcoming two new teams, record salaries, and skyrocketing valuations. Here's what you need to know as we head into the league's most historic season yet.
The Portland Fire Are Back – And the Houston Comets Are Coming
The 2026 season expands the league from 13 to 15 teams with the addition of the Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo. The Fire name is a revival, bringing back the identity from Portland’s previous WNBA team, which existed from 2000 to 2002 before it folded. Now they're back – with a modern twist on the original logo. And Portland isn't the only historic name returning: the Connecticut Sun have been sold and will relocate to Houston in 2027 as the revived Houston Comets, the dynasty franchise that won the league's first four championships.
Revenue Share Was Triggered for the First Time Ever
For the first time in history, the WNBA generated enough revenue in 2025 to trigger revenue sharing. The league distributed $8M among players — a watershed moment that proved the league is making real money, and gave players the leverage they needed to negotiate a landmark new CBA. Under the terms of the new CBA, the average revenue share will be nearly 20%.
The First Player to Score a WNBA Basket
In a 1997 matchup between the Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty, Sparks point guard Penny Toler scored the very first basket during the first WNBA game. About one minute into the first quarter, Toler caught a pass from teammate Jamila Wideman and shot from the baseline, scoring the first two points in league history. From that day in June, Toler played in the league for three years, eventually becoming the Sparks' general manager until 2019.
The Highest Rookie Salaries in WNBA History
The brand-new CBA completely transformed what it means to be on a WNBA rookie contract. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft, Azzi Fudd, is expected to earn around $500,000. The 2026 WNBA minimum salary is $270,000 — meaning every player in the league now earns more than the best contract available just last season. Players who are still on their rookie contract, like Caitlin Clark, also got a raise: Clark is expected to earn nearly $530,000 thanks to a new CBA feature called "EPIC,” Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract, which allows players to renegotiate based on various league awards and honors.
WNBA Valuations are Soaring
The Golden State Valkyries ownership group paid a then-record $50M expansion fee in 2023 to bring a WNBA team to the Bay Area. It took less than one season to prove it was worth it. The Valkyries set a single-game ticket revenue record at over $3 million, sold courtside seats for $1,500 a game, and generated an estimated $70 million in their debut season. Last summer, the Golden State Valkyries topped Sportico’s WNBA team valuations at $500M – breaking the $450M valuation set by the New York Liberty only a month prior.
The First WNBA Championship Winners
On August 30, 1997, the Houston Comets took home the very first WNBA championship. The Comets beat the New York Liberty 65-51 and were led by the legendary Cynthia Cooper, who was the first championship MVP in the league. This win was just the beginning for the Comets. They held a championship-winning streak for four consecutive seasons.
The Biggest Broadcast Slate in History
The 2026 WNBA season will feature a record 216 nationally broadcast games, including every Indiana Fever game throughout the 44-game regular season. As part of the league’s media deal, NBC will broadcast WNBA games for the first time since 2022, joining existing partners Disney, Amazon, CBS, Scripps, and USA Sports.
Inaugural Rematch
Of the eight franchises that played in the WNBA's first season in 1997, only three remain in their original cities: the New York Liberty, Los Angeles Sparks, and Phoenix Mercury. On June 21st, the Liberty will travel to Los Angeles to face the Sparks in a rematch of the league's very first game, 30 years later to the day.
