The WNBA, in an effort to better suit its schedule and to increase fan engagement, is moving to a shorter, more compact format for its in-season Commissioner’s Cup competition in 2024, commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Monday.
The event is moving to a five-game format — down from 10 games — where each team plays the other teams in its conference once. All Cup games will be played in a two-week period from June 1-13.
That will be followed by the Cup final on June 25 between the top two teams in the standings, hosted by the team with the best record in Cup play.
Engelbert told ESPN that if the league doesn’t add a 14th team for the 2025 season, the WNBA is prepared to make the Cup format work with 13 teams. The league will continue to have 12 teams in 2024, but an expansion franchise in the San Francisco Bay Area will be added in 2025.
The league hasn’t ruled out the possibility of a 14th franchise for 2025, but Engelbert said it would need to be nailed down soon to be ready by then.
“The nice thing about the position we’re in, having announced the…
