In January, the WNBA finalized a groundbreaking collective-bargaining agreement, with increased salaries and improved benefits, that set a standard for women’s sports. That unprecedented labor deal was followed by an exciting free-agency period that generated plenty of buzz.
The WNBA’s momentum in February was undeniable, and there was overwhelming excitement for what the league’s season could have in store.
But in March, the coronavirus pandemic changed everything.
With sports on hold as the outbreak grew, the conversation surrounding the WNBA quickly turned from the league having all the momentum in 2020 to whether it even could pull off a season.
After months of strategic planning, the WNBA decided to hold a shortened 22-game season in a bubble format at the IMG Academy campus in Bradenton, Florida. Some players questioned the safety and security of the bubble and opted out.
There was a small scare — the bubble’s security had been breached during the semifinals when a few Storm players’ daily COVID-19 tests came back “inconclusive” — but the WNBA finished its season without recording a single positive test inside its bubble.
That feat alone is worth celebrating.
Despite all the travails, the WNBA’s atypical season-in-the-bubble can be considered a success. The league not only was able to build on the momentum generated last offseason, but it also found its voice and identity for the future.
While WNBA players always have been at the forefront of athlete activism — players have been protesting racial injustice since before Colin Kaepernick took a knee — the league itself had been accused of silencing players in the past who have spoken out on social issues.
But this year, commissioner Cathy Engelbert encouraged players to use their platforms, which they did in loud and bold ways during their season to fight social injustices.
Even when players collectively decided to postpone games after the police shooting of Jacob Blake in August, they had the league’s support.
“We know it’s a very emotional time for our players,” Engelbert told ESPN at the time. “I felt I needed to point out how strong they’ve been through all this and to give them some courage and confidence that basketball’s been part of their platform, and they can do both. ... We absolutely support them. We are running a very player-first agenda.”
While some pro sports leagues’ TV ratings took a hit this year, the WNBA’s skyrocketed. The league saw a 68% increase in average regular-season viewership across all networks, Engelbert said during the Finals. The Finals between the Storm and Aces, which ended in three games, drew an average of 440,000 viewers, up 15% from the 2019 WNBA Finals through Game 5 and up 14% over last year through Game 3, according to ESPN.
The league also broke engagement records, seeing a 30% increase in cross-platform action for social-media posts and an 85% increase in weekly mobile-app downloads, Engelbert said.
“They did a really good job,” Sky coach James Wade said. “I thought it was really well-handled, really well-organized. The fact that no players tested positive [was impressive].’’
