The social media post that started this was very normal. It asked about which cities were in the room for the next WNBA teams and whether places like Louisville were even being heard. A fan said “Do you know if Louisville was in the mix for a team or is it already spoken for.” Another reply said that the league is focused on bigger media markets first. That is the business truth, especially with the upcoming WNBA expansion 2025. The league is chasing cities that can pay very high fees and can show sponsors a national reach. Which is why Golden State Valkyries are already here for 2025 and why Toronto will start in 2026. The question under all of this is simple. Do more teams make the league better or just richer?
Expansion makes some people very rich very fast
Golden State paid about 50 million dollars to enter. Newer bids for 2026 and 2027 are reported around 250 million dollars each. That is real money for the current owners and for the league office. It also proves that women’s basketball is a real business. Owners in San Francisco, Toronto, Portland and even groups in Detroit or Philadelphia can now tell investors that there is growth. Players should care because this money sits on top of a new media rights deal that could send 925 million dollars into the league over a few years. The WNBA expansion 2025 is a key turning point in this aspect.
The first winners are obvious. New owners get a team in a hot moment. Players who were on the bubble finally get a roster seat. Some veterans who were playing overseas in winter can now stay home. Even fans in the Bay Area who missed the old Sacramento Monarchs are happy to have a local jersey again. A fan on social media said “This is how you grow the game, you put it where people can actually go.” That is correct.
“A work stoppage does not help anybody.” said commissioner Cathy Engelbert when asked about the CBA talks.
That line tells you how serious this is. The players see expansion money. They want it linked to salaries, travel and health. The league wants to protect its new fees. This is why everyone should care, particularly with the anticipated WNBA expansion 2025 in mind.
But the basketball will feel lighter at first
There is always a cost. When Golden State joined, there was an expansion draft. Good teams could not protect everyone. Bench shooters, backup bigs and young point guards had to move. Toronto and the next teams will do the same thing. That means the Aces, Liberty, Lynx and Fever will lose depth they built carefully. It also means the scouts have to work harder to find 36 or 48 more players who can help right away. Talent does not appear just because the map looks nicer. For a season or 2 the product can look a little stretched with the new WNBA expansion 2025.
This is where the who cares part lands. Fans care because they want the best level every night. Players care because a thin league hurts the final TV numbers which hurts the next deal. The union cares the most. Right now WNBA players get less than 10 percent of league revenue. They want a system that goes up automatically when expansion and media money goes up. If that link is written into the next CBA, every new team becomes good news for the players. If it is not, then expansion is mostly a win for owners and for the business people in the sport.
Calling out bad takes. Living for the game and the post-game drama.
