What happened: The WNBA announced it will expand its regular season to 50 games beginning in 2027. The league confirmed the schedule increase, marking another step up in its regular-season footprint.

Why it matters: A longer schedule means more inventory for the league's national broadcast partners and more regular-season revenue and exposure for teams and players. The expansion was enabled under the league's new collective bargaining framework and reflects the WNBA's continued growth in audience and commercial value.

What to watch: Watch for the league to release the 2027 schedule format and how the additional games are distributed across teams, travel, and the existing in-season tournament window.