The WNBA will implement a replay center modeled after the NBA’s system beginning next season, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced at a state of the league press conference held Saturday ahead of the All-Star Game in Chicago. This move is part of the league’s broader initiative to enhance officiating quality and consistency amid ongoing concerns about physical play.
Officiating has been a contentious topic in recent seasons as players, coaches, and fans debated the level of physicality allowed in games. To address these concerns, the WNBA established a task force during the offseason aimed at reducing excessive physical play. Engelbert described the replay center as one of the league’s most significant investments in basketball operations, noting that it involves tens of millions of dollars intended to improve transparency, efficiency, and overall quality in officiating. However, she indicated that some operational details remain under development, including the decision not to adopt the NBA’s last two-minute report at this time.
The league has observed an increase in fouls this season, attributed to a targeted emphasis on protecting players’ freedom of movement. This has led to higher scoring averages—teams are reaching record offensive outputs—but also contributed to longer game durations, with an average length of two hours and eight minutes, marking the longest games in WNBA history.
Off the court, the WNBA is actively addressing player safety and well-being, particularly in response to the rise of online harassment. Engelbert reported that the league and players’ union recently held a virtual meeting to explore further steps to combat racism, misogyny, homophobia, and threats directed at players. She emphasized that such abuse is unacceptable and has no place in sports or society.
On another front, the league’s investigation into a potential salary cap violation involving the Las Vegas Aces remains inconclusive. The issue arose after the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) offered Aces players $100,000 each for two seasons starting in 2024, an amount exceeding the salaries of six players at that time. With no such agreement offered this season and player salaries having substantially increased following a new collective bargaining agreement, the probe found no grounds for discipline, although the investigation will continue if new evidence emerges. Steve Hill, president and CEO of the LVCVA, maintained that the sponsorship arrangement was conducted transparently and independently of the team’s management.
Communication between the league office and players was another topic highlighted during the conference. Engelbert acknowledged that players have expressed a desire for more direct engagement with the commissioner’s office, citing comments from players like A’ja Wilson who noted limited interaction beyond formal occasions. Engelbert admitted the league needs to improve in this area, exploring more effective channels such as text messaging in addition to email to better connect with the largely younger player base.
When asked about her future as commissioner, Engelbert did not commit to whether she would remain in the role next season but emphasized her dedication to guiding the league through this period of rapid growth. She highlighted the ongoing success of the current season, which has become the most-watched in WNBA history, with over 73 million unique viewers across 117 broadcasts and a record 29 games averaging over one million viewers at the All-Star break—almost triple the number from the previous season. Attendance figures have also increased, with more than 2.2 million fans attending games so far this year, up 16% from the prior season.