Report: Chicago Sky 'expecting approval' for 44-game WNBA season

Amid a surge in popularity and a new media rights deal on the way, the WNBA could be looking to make another major change. According to an email to Chicago Sky season ticket holders obtained by Front Office Sports and the Chicago Sun-Times, the league could expand the season by four games.

In the email, the Sky informed fans season ticket prices would be going up and more games would be going on the schedule. Specifically, Chicago would have 22 home games – two more than the current schedule, which came about in 2023, allows.

That would indicate a change could be coming. The WNBA has the ability to move up to 44 games under the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the change would take place in 2025 at the earliest.

“We are expecting approval on a 44-game schedule (22 home games) + a preseason game. Your 2025 season ticket invoice reflects this addition,” the email read, via FOS.

However, if the season expands next year, there could be more changes on the way. The CBA expires at the end of the season, and the new expansion team – the Golden State Valkyries – are preparing to join the WNBA in 2025, as well. Those factors, along with a new media rights deal, could lead to another look at the schedule.

WNBA closing in on new media deal amid ratings surge

The WNBA’s next media rights deal is set to begin in 2026 and will be worth $2.2 billion over 11 years, according to The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov. With an average value of $200 million per year, which is a major increase from the $50 million payouts under the current agreement with Disney, ION, CBS and Amazon.

While Disney and Amazon will be part of the new deal, along with newcomer NBC, the WNBA could sell two more rights packages to make an additional $60 million per year, per The Athletic. Of course, there’s also the potential of four more games per team, which could add even more value.

The pending agreement comes on the heals of a major boom in TV viewership for the W, heavily fueled by Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and a decorated rookie class. Clark and the Indiana Fever helped set multiple records and have 14 of the 16 broadcasts to top 1 million viewers this year. Wednesday night’s game against the Dallas Wings averaged 1.7 million viewers.

But Clark’s last two matchups against Reese and the Sky sit above the rest. They’re the two most-watched WNBA games in 25 years, including a record 2.30 million people tuning in for the June 23 matchup in Chicago.