Those plans you had to take a trip to Atlanta, Minnesota or Los Angeles in the early spring?
Book those flights and those hotels.
Those plans you had to drive to Seattle, Chicago or New York in the summer?
Put those arrangements in stone.
Looking to hit up Phoenix in July or Boston in August?
Go all in!
Today, the WNBA released its 2024 schedule. Despite the fact that 2024 will be an Olympic year, the plan is for the W to have another 40-game slate as was the case for the 2023 rendition of WNBA hoops.
One added element of significance to the 2024 season â the 28th in W history – is it will be the final season of a 12-team WNBA as the will welcome its new San Francisco Bay Area franchise into the WNBA family (and hopefully a 14th team as well) beginning in 2025.
Two things, though, were absent from the release â the full national television schedule as well as the preseason schedule so it is yet to be seen if the W will do another Canada Game ala last seasonâs between the Minnesota Lynx and Chicago Sky. That one, of course, was very successful in terms of merchandise sold in addition to gate.
Also â we know Ion Television has the WNBAâs Friday night package.
A schedule release, of course, means we have thoughtsâŚplenty of thoughts. What are some of them?Â
Opening Night!
Tuesday May 14 will be Opening Night across the WNBA with eight of our 12 teams taking to the court. As was the case at the start of last season, the New York Liberty will open its season on the road at the Washington Mystics. Also as was the case last season, the Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun will re-exchange pleasantries with the scene shifting to Mohegan Sun Arena.
The Las Vegas Aces will open their defense of their back-to-back WNBA championships at home when the Phoenix Mercury make the short trip up to Sin City. Also, the Minnesota Lynx will be at the Seattle Storm.
The following day will see the Dallas Wings host the Chicago Sky at College Park Center in Arlington and the Atlanta Dream at the Los Angeles Sparks.
Commissionerâs Cup
When the WNBA teased the format for the 2024 Commissionerâs Cup, one had to believe that a full schedule release was right around the corner. Indeed, it was.
Instead of 10 games, each team will play a total of five Commissionerâs Cup matchups â one against each team in their conference. Also, the 2024 rendition of the Commissionerâs Cup will be compressed into two weeks beginning with the Jun 1 matchup between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Here is the full list of Commissionerâs Cup contestsâŚ
June 1
Chicago Sky at Indiana Fever
June 2
Connecticut Sun at Atlanta Dream
Indiana Fever at New York Liberty
Dallas Wings at Minnesota Lynx
Los Angeles Sparks at Phoenix Mercury
June 4
Washington Mystics at Connecticut Sun
New York Liberty at Chicago Sky
Phoenix Mercury at Seattle Storm
June 5
Las Vegas Aces at Dallas Wings
Minnesota Lynx at Los Angeles Sparks
June 6
Chicago Sky at Washington Mystics
New York Liberty at Atlanta Dream
June 7
Indiana Fever at Washington Mystics
Seattle Storm at Las Vegas Aces
Dallas Wings at Los Angeles Sparks
Minnesota Lynx at Phoenix Mercury
June 8
New York Liberty at Connecticut Sun
Atlanta Dream at Chicago Sky
June 9
Washington Mystics at New York Liberty
Phoenix Mercury at Dallas Wings
Seattle Storm at Minnesota Lynx
Las Vegas Aces at Los Angeles Sparks
June 10
Indiana Fever at Connecticut Sun
June 11
Washington Mystics at Atlanta Dream
Minnesota Lynx at Las Vegas Aces
Los Angeles Sparks at Seattle storm
June 12
Connecticut Sun vs Chicago Sky
June 13
Atlanta Dream vs Indiana Fever
Seattle Storm vs Dallas Wings
Las Vegas Aces vs Phoenix Mercury
Other Notable Dates
Of course, fans are already looking at the schedule to see when the first scheduled Finals rematch will be.
That will occur on June 15 when the Liberty and Aces get together at Michelob Ultra Arena. June 15 is a Saturday and it is slated for a 3 p.m./12 noon tip, meaning it will almost certainly get the ESPN or ABC treatment.
Those teams will meet again on August 17 also in Vegas at 4 p.m./1 p.m. The first meeting between the Aces and Liberty at Barclays? September 8 at 4 p.m. â close to the conclusion of the regular season.
Speaking of notable dates â May 23 will be when the Sky and Liberty meet up at Barclays Center. This one is significant because it will be the return of Lib legend Teresa Weatherspoon as she will be in her first game vs. New York as Chicago coach.
June 23 will also be a notable date on the WNBA calendar as that is when the Indiana Fever will travel to Wintrust Arena as the Chicago Sky await. It is notable because if the Fever do indeed draft Caitlin Clark with the first overall draft selection, that will likely be the first opportunity many Iowa fans will have to see their home state hero in action in the pro ranks.
June is also shaping up to be a notable month for the Sparks. On June 14, the Sparks are slated to be in action at the Minnesota Lynx and at the Connecticut Sun on the 18th. Why are those games potentially noteworthy?
Because the Sparks are slated to select Paige Bueckers with the second overall pick in many mock drafts. Bueckers played her high school ball in Minnesota and, of course, will be a product of UConn once she enters the WNBA.
What games will be noteworthy is sure to change between now and then given how free agency unfolds and how the draft plays out.
Capital One Arena has been in the news a bit lately given the possibility of the Mystics moving back full-time to the venue with news of a possible sports and entertainment complex being constructed in Alexandria, Virginia for its sister NBA and NHL teams, the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals. The Mystics will only have one game at Capital One Arena this season â its camp day game on July 16 vs. the Phoenix Mercury.
Then one cannot ignore the obvious dates of WNBA All-Star Weekend on July 19-20 at Footprint Center in Phoenix. Then, the Olympic break. The combination of All-Star and the Olympics will have the WNBA season on pause for roughly a whole month.
That pause will conclude on August 15 with matchups. The Mercury will head to Chicago to take on the Sky at Wintrust Arena, the Lynx will host the Mystics at Target Center and the Sparks will await the Liberty at Crypto.com Arena.
Also on September 3, the Aces will host the Sky at T-Mobile Arena â home of the NHLâs Vegas Golden Knights.
The LBC
When the Sparks do tip off this season, they will do so in a home venue other than Crypto.com Arena.
Los Angeles announced that it will contest the first five home games of the regular season at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach State University. The Walter Pyramid is currently the home to Long Beach Stateâs womenâs and menâs basketball teams as well as its womenâs and menâs court volleyball teams.
Those first five matchups will be vs. the Atlanta Dream on May 15, vs. the Washington Mystics on May 21, vs. the Indiana Fever on May 24, vs. the Dallas Wings on May 26 and the Sparksâ first home Commissionerâs Cup matchup on June 5 vs. the Minnesota Lynx.
Cahnnecticut Sahn vs Lahs Ahngeles Spahks
When the Sun dropped news that they would indeed be playing a game this coming season in Boston, our minds started salivating at the possibilities.
For the first-ever WNBA game in the City of Beans, who would be the Sunâs opponent? Would it be a team like the Las Vegas Aces or the New York Liberty? Even the Indiana Fever who have last seasonâs Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston as the new face of its franchise?
Instead, we found out per the schedule release that the Sunâs opponent would beâŚthe Los Angeles Sparks.
As of today, the Sparks have three on their roster from UConn that should definitely drive interest from the Huskies faithful. Those three are Katie Lou Samuelson, Evina Westbrook and AzurĂĄ Stevens.Â
Is it May 14 yetâŚ.
