After months of deliberation, the WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Players’ Association have decided to go forward with having a 2020 season.
The WNBPA’s executive committee gave the green light this week to launch this season in late July, approving a 22-game regular season during which players will receive full pay and benefits.
Under the current plan, which was officially announced Monday, the WNBA will host training camps and this season at the IMG Academy campus in Bradenton, Florida, without fans. The shortened regular season will be followed by a traditional playoff format.
A formal start date hasn’t been finalized, but must end by Oct. 31, according to the collective-bargaining agreement.
The players voted to go forward with the plan over the weekend, though some elements — like housing accommodations and safety procedures — are still being negotiated.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert stressed that player and personnel safety remains a top priority.
“We are finalizing a season start plan to build on the tremendous momentum generated in the league during the offseason and have used the guiding principles of health and safety of players and essential staff to establish necessary and extensive protocols,” Engelbert said in a statement. “We will continue to consult with medical experts and public health officials as well as players, team owners and other stakeholders as we move forward with our execution plan.”
Players will have the option to sit out this season. Sky forward Jantel Lavender was hesitant about the WNBA having a season, saying last month she thought “it would make more sense to wait it out and just see where we go from here.”
With that said, Lavender said she’s “most definitely” concerned about the financial strain the pandemic has had on teams and the league, which lost a reported $12 million in 2018, and could see that as being a reason to have a season.
Owner Michael Alter estimated the Sky will lose an estimated 40 percent of the team’s overall revenue without ticket sales this season.
How the WNBA will make up for lost revenue remains unclear. For now, the league will rely on its “WNBA Changemakers” corporate partnerships program and TV deals for financial support.
