US Media: WNBA to Lose $40 Million This Year, NBA Owners Losing Patience

Currently, the WNBA Finals are tied 2-2 between the Lynx and the Liberty, making for an exceptionally exciting series.

However, according to a report by The New York Post today, the WNBA is expected to lose $40 million this season. Despite the increased attention brought by superstars like Clark, losses are still inevitable. A source revealed that in the foreseeable future, the NBA owners who control the league will not see a return on their investment.

The NBA owns nearly 60% of the WNBA.

When combining the WNBA teams owned by NBA owners and individual shares, the ownership stake reaches 75%.

Since the founding of the WNBA in 1996, NBA team owners have invested hundreds of millions of dollars into the WNBA. An executive within the league disclosed, “The WNBA owes so much money to the NBA, but we still don’t see any windfall in the short term.”

The WNBA’s loss this year is expected to reach $40 million, slightly better than the previously reported $50 million, but it remains a significant loss.

Starting from the 2026 season, a new broadcasting agreement will bring in $2.2 billion over 11 years for the WNBA. Additionally, the WNBA plans to extend the regular season and playoffs (with the finals adopting a best-of-seven format next year) to generate more revenue. However, WNBA players are expected to opt out of collective bargaining talks by the November deadline, which could lead to higher player salaries. As a result, the $100 million in annual revenue generated by the new broadcasting deal and schedule adjustments is projected to be reduced to $60 million.

An NBA executive revealed that NBA owners have not earned a single dollar from the WNBA’s expansion. This means that Warriors owner Joe Lacob’s agreement to pay $50 million over 10 years for the expansion team (the Golden State Valor) and the Raptors owner’s purchase of a WNBA team and a new training center for $110 million this year have not yielded any returns.

New York Knicks owner James Dolan has been a leading advocate for greater transparency in WNBA revenues, putting pressure on NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Multiple NBA owners view Dolan as a hero, but he has not commented on the matter.