Last night’s WNBA championship game between the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx was a heart-pounding, complicated and dramatic end to an extraordinary and pivotal WNBA season.  In-person game attendance this year reached its highest level in 22 years, growing 242% year-over-year with 154 sellout games, compared to 45 sellouts in 2023. In June, the Las Vegas Aces became the first WNBA team in the league’s history to sell out all of their regular series home games. The WNBA finals also set an average attendance record. Regular season televised games, broadcast on a byzantine and illogical range of platforms and networks, drew an all-time record 54 million unique viewers.

This didn’t happen overnight — numbers for the most under-appreciated professional sports league in the world have been climbing with increasing speed for several years now, but this year’s leaps were notably bigger. For women, and queer women specifically, and queer Black women even more specifically, it’s been a moment of unprecedented international visibility. But often times this visibility has come at a cost, with an increase of racist and homophobic harassment and rhetoric. Tensions have been created and stoked by the media, many of them also relatively new to the league and unfamiliar with its culture and traditions. Increased revenue levels for the league has yet to result in anything resembling fair pay or treatment for its players.

As a longtime fan, it’s thrilling to simply have more people to talk to about the games, to find more and more people talking about the W on social media and across major online publications. So when I set out to put together a season-ending wrap-up, I wanted to draw on some of those voices I’ve paid attention to in recent years and highlight some of the season’s great writing about the WNBA.

The people who connected with Autostraddle for this piece and who you’ll see quoted within are:

• Aliya Kae: “Your favorite women’s sports friend” on TikTok
• Tina Sieben: Comedian and fan who covered the WNBA draft for Autostraddle
• Lyndsey D’Arcangelo: Sportswriter, author and journalist who has covered the WNBA for The Athletic, Awful Announcing and The Comeback
• Jordan Robinson: Athlete, writer, journalist and co-host of the WNBA podcast “Queens of the Court” with Sheryl Swoopes. Has written about the WNBA for Just Women’s Sports, Homefield, WNBA.com, Essence and The Ringer.
• Frankie De La Cretaz: Sportswriter, author and journalist who runs sporty substack Out of Your League. Has written about the WNBA for outlets includingThe Washington Post, Self, Complex, Andscape and Autostraddle.
• Carly Usdin: filmmaker, comic book creator and director of The Syd & TP Show .
• Emma Carmichael: journalist and screenwriter, currently writing an oral history of the WNBA for Simon & Schuster. Has covered the WNBA for New York Magazine, New York Times, GQ and Elle.
• Riese: me

Find out where to follow these incredible people on social media at the end of the article

2024 WNBA Season Highlights

The Growth of the League

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Frankie de la Cretaz: My highlight from this season was definitely seeing the Connecticut Sun and Los Angeles Sparks play a sold out TD Garden in Boston. As someone who has been covering the Sun since 2018, watching these teams play in an NBA arena full of enthusiastic and supportive fans made me quite emotional. It felt like the kind of environment they deserve and should have always had.

Jordan Robinson: The season’s highlight for me was seeing all of the new WNBA fans be introduced to the best players in the world for the first time. Maybe fans came from the Final Four and only knew a few names at first, but now they know so much more. They could see how Breanna Stewart floats in the air, how Alyssa Thomas is a one-woman wrecking crew, how Kah can give anyone a 30-piece on any given night, and how Arike’s stepback 3 is so silky smooth. I was kind of jealous, wishing I could experience that for the first time again.

Emma Carmichael: There’s no way for me to answer this without being sappy, so: I was in Los Angeles for Caitlin Clark’s first WNBA win, against the Sparks at Crypto.com Arena in late May. It was the first time in my lifetime I’d seen a sold out arena of that size for a women’s basketball game, and after the buzzer sounded, it seemed as though no one wanted to leave. Most of the lower bowl stayed at their seats, cheering on the players as they left the court and getting a last look at Clark, like she was a pop star leaving the stage after her encore. It was, for me, one of a series of moments this season where I felt overwhelming awe at the thing I was getting to witness and live through, which is the public finally meeting women’s basketball at the level it deserves. What a special thing to get to see.

Carly Usdin: So many incredible things happened this season. So many records obliterated, both on the court and in terms of viewership and ticket sales. In all honesty I am absolutely exhausted by The Discourse so that’s not something that was necessarily “the best” but I understand that growing pains are part of it, so I get it. But good god, there was so much unnecessary noise! Love seeing the increased national coverage.

Lyndsey D’Arcangelo:  The meteoric rise in viewership, attendance and merchandise sales, the semifinals and finals series being so competitive and must-watch television (while breaking all-time records in viewership). All the new endorsement deals for the league and individual players.

Read More About the Growth of the League:

• The aggressively paywalled Wall Street Journal put A’ja Wilson and Angel Reese on the cover this month for the WNBA’s Big, Bold, Record-Breaking Year, which fittingly is a story of the groundwork that was in place for this year’s breakout season
• In On the Perils of Visibility, Frankie De La Cretaz digs into the underside of the WNBA’s rapid growth this year and how to “many conservative and right-wing viewers, Clark has become their avatar through which to project their white supremacist beliefs into a league and a sport that has largely remained insulated from the worst of it.”
• Emma Carmichael tells a marvelously comprehensive story in GQ‘s How the WNBA Became the Most Fun, Complicated, and Exciting League in Sports — it’s as fun, complicated and exciting as the league it profiles.
• From The Athletic: How the WNBA went from an ‘existential’ moment to record success

Incredible WNBA Players Shining Like Diamonds

(Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)

Lyndsey D’Arcangelo: There were so many amazing things that happened this season — A’ja Wilson’s dominance, which will go down as one of the most historic individual seasons in WNBA history. Diana Taurasi still balling at 42 and her “will she, won’t she retire” scenario. The 2024 rookie class and Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese breaking all-time WNBA records as rookies.

Carly Usdin: Love seeing players grow and get the shine they deserve, specifically DiJonnai Carrington. Others too but she stood out this season. Love realizing that we’re witnessing several generational talents competing at their prime simultaneously (A’ja, Stweie, Phee…), and that when you look at the younger players and even the college players coming up, we are just going to be so spoiled with incredible basketball for years to come. Love that the league is (finally) expanding because there’s far too much talent for 12 teams.

USA Basketball Cinching Its Eighth Straight Olympic Gold Medal

(Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)

Aliya Kae: My highlight this season was definitely the Olympics. Watching the USA Women’s Basketball Team play and win gold, was such an enjoyable time.

Jordan Robinson: It was great to see the videos of first-time Olympians getting their jerseys ahead of Paris 2024. The raw emotion was amazing to see. I think I cried after watching every single one! It just truly feels like the pinnacle of their hard work and sacrifices. So cool.

Riese: Brittney Griner crying after earning her gold medal, after everything she’s been through — I also cried.

The Queerness and the Personality of the WNBA

(Photo by Peter Fisher for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Tina Sieben: DiJonai Carrington and NaLyssa Smith’s Instagram lives together were a highlight for me. Specifically, the one where they talked about *that* collision they had on the court where NaLyssa picked DiJonai up…the two of them really make me laugh. When DiJonai asked if NaLyssa picks everyone up like that I lost it. I love to follow both of them on and off the court, and I think the couples in the league add another fun layer to watching the games!

Riese: I am admittedly a junkie for the behind-the-scenes gay stuff. DiJonai Carrington and NaLyssa Smith storyline were my favorite lesbian storyline of 2024. Loved the Fever/Sun matchup that had one lesbian couple competing against each other and another on the same team (Alyssa Thomas and DeWonna Bonner). I loved seeing queer WNBA players like Breanna Stewart and Diana Taurasi out there with their kids, thrilled to witness Brittney Griner welcoming a new baby into her family. Obsessed with Courtney Williams’ Dad. I also loved the tunnel fits, which provided important visibility for the Tall Long-Limbed Community.

Carly: I loved seeing more and more people discover the wonder that is The Syd + TP Show!!!

Read More about the Queerness and the Personality of the WNBA:

• Carmen Phillips wrote an extraordinary piece for Refinery29’s Unbothered for Thirst Week about how the “normalizing of Black queerness in the WNBA is straight up intoxicating.” This piece has everything: history, sportsballs, gay jokes and a link to an incredibly hot picture of Courtney Williams.
• Slam magazine put a Black lesbian couple on the cover for the first time with its issue dedicated to engaged Connecticut Sun teammates Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner, displaying their “unique dynamic, one filled with love, teasing and a very, very healthy amount of competitiveness.”
• Queer photographer Hypatia Sorunke attended 40 regular season Liberty games at 12 stadiums around the country, capturing the special, fashionable fandom of the WNBA.
• Ellie the Elephant has become the WNBA’s most iconic mascot and a merchandise and marketing machine. It’s also important that Ellie is “distinctly Black, femme and queer.” She graced the cover of Time Out’s summer issue and was profiled in Vogue.
• For Andscape, Frankie de La Creataz wrote on “how stylists are helping WNBA players elevate their drip.”

What Are Our Hopes For The Future of the WNBA?

Expansion and Better Treatment Of WNBA Players

Carly: I’m happy they’re expanding the number of regular season games next season but I still want a longer season (and a shorter NBA season to help balance it out). Happy they’re changing up the playoff format but I want 1st round to be best of 5 and the semis and finals to both be best of 7. Also would love to see a return to Eastern Conf/Western Conf playoffs once we’re up to 16 teams. I’d love to see the league and its partners be proactive instead of reactive in the future… anticipate the want and need for things before it’s an issue. Charter flights are a great example. Dealing with all of the racist and homophobic harassment is another one. Merch should not be sold out all the time. People want to give you their money, so let them. And as far as individual teams go, any teams without practice facilities and legitimate, tangible investments in their players should immediately be sold to new owners who will do right (cough cough LA Sparks cough cough).

Aliya: I am very hopeful for the future of the league, I feel like we saw that growth this season. I want to see more fans engaging with the WNBA (buying merch, going to games, following athletes, watching all the games). I also want to see more love and respect for ALL players, not just rookies, but the veterans who have built and impacted the league.

Frankie: My hope is that this league figures out how to properly embrace and market the gender diversity of its athletes. I’m still disappointed about the lack of masculine players featured in this season’s Skims campaign. What I don’t want to see is the popularity of the WNBA result in the erasure of the athletes who built it. Capitalism has a way of destroying everything good and I hope the strong players’ union can help these athletes get what they deserve while also maintaining the integrity that’s always been at the root of the W.

Lindsay: I want to see the league continue to grow and evolve, with its fanbase, as an organization, for the players, etc. At nearly 30 years in, this league is set up for success. There is so much good happening right now. What I would like to see from a leadership standpoint is the league being more proactive than reactive. They’ve always reacted to things after the fact. And that can’t happen anymore. They need innovation and foresight now more than ever. They need to get ahead of things, rather than sitting back and waiting for them to happen. This was the old way of thinking. It can’t be like that any longer.

Confronting Increased Racism and Toxicity Amongst WNBA Fans and Media

Lindsay: This season was the most toxic I’ve ever experienced as someone who has covered the league for almost a decade. The discourse was exhausting, not only for the players but everyone who has been involved/invested in growing the league. That needs to change. With new fans in the mix, there was always going to be a learning curve. But it quickly devolved into racist, homophobic and sexist rhetoric. My hope is that, with a new diverse rookie class coming in, the conversation will shift back to basketball and leave the nonsense behind.

Tina: I hope more and more people continue to learn how great the league is, but I think something that has to change immediately is protecting the players more. As the leagues grown so have the number of people watching who are comfortable being blatantly and threateningly racist to so many of the league’s Black players. And you can hear many of the players talk about the mental toll that takes. The hate isn’t worth growing the game. I hope the Commissioner does more in the future to protect the players and that anyone coming to the games just to be racist and misogynistic stops watching and just goes off to be miserable alone.

Frankie: I think I’d be remiss not to mention the way that new eyes and new audiences burst the (relatively) safe bubble the this league has existed in before now. While players have had to deal with sexism, racism, and homophobia to varying degrees throughout the history of the WNBA, the loyal fans and the committed players have done a great job of building a league that felt like it was for the communities that were also represented on the court. The increased intention brought a deluge of harassment, abuse, racism, and homophobia to players and longtime fans. The price of success should not be abuse and I’m disappointed that the league seemed unprepared to deal with this moment—anyone paying attention to the rhetoric around Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese in college could have seen this coming and I think the WNBA failed to properly support or protect its players in the ways it should have.

A Better CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) and Better Pay For WNBA Players

Emma: I think it would be really wonderful to see the league develop a pension plan for its retired players, and I know that’s one of the union’s many priorities for the next CBA. (The NFL, NHL, MLB, and NBA all have pension plans.) The W’s alumni helped make the league what it is today, and they deserve more than just getting shown on their former team’s JumboTron every few games. I hope that’s one of additions we’ll see in the next contract.

Carly: Of course I cannot wait to see the new CBA, because these players need to get PAID (also I think the new media rights deal is like deeply undervalued wtf). Generally I’m just excited for the growth. I know there will be growing pains but I think one way to help deal with that is to also get a new Commissioner…

Jordan: My hope for the WNBA’s future is simple: more money for its players. These women are at the top of their craft, and they deserve more lucrative contracts. The endorsements are wonderful, but not every player gets access to them. We’ve made such great strides with contracts since the league’s beginning, but I want to see that continue growing and multiplying. The future is so bright, and especially with a potential new CBA, players will get to finally be paid like professionals.

Some Final Requests For the WNBA’s Future:

Carly:  A second season of the Syd + TP Show.

Jordan: We need an “Inside the NBA”-type WNBA show with legends breaking down and discussing the game! How fun would that be?

Tina:  I’d love to see less Jason Sudeikis on my screen. Spike Lee has been fun to see, let’s just move the camera over to him more please.

Riese: There is no team I watched less this season than the Los Angeles Sparks here in my hometown of Los Angeles. Obviously it wasn’t really a great season for the Sparks, so I managed, this time. But the way WNBA games are aired is so messed up! We bought the WNBA League Pass, we subscribe to YouTube TV (which has ESPN, Ion and all the other networks that air games) and have the Disney+ESPN Bundle and pay for Prime Video’s WNBA channel and Paramount+! And yet, I could not see any Sparks games! These cable deals area nno

Emma: It’s never too late to get into it. I welcome all new, non-asshole WNBA fans, in perpetuity.

Where to follow:

Aliya Kae
TikTok: @aliyaakae
Instagram: @aliyakaee

Tina Sieben
TikTok: @wnbagf
Instagram: @wnbawife

Lyndsey D’Arcangelo
X: @darcangel21

Frankie de la Cretaz
Instagram: @thefrankiekiedlc
X: @thefrankiekiedlc
Substack: Out of Your League

Jordan Robinson:
Tiktok: @heyjordanrobinson
Instagram: @jordanligons
X: heyjordanrobinson

Emma Carmichael:
Instagram: @emmacargo
X: @emmacargo

Carly Usdin:
Instagram: @carlytron
X: @carlytron

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