Women’s pro-ballers want more cash
The popularity of the WNBA is soaring
At the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn, New York, a spectacle is starting. Fans in seafoam green, inspired by the Statue of Liberty, stream to their seats armed with chicken tenders and beer. A glamorous elephant shimmies around the court to Mary J. Blige, an R&B musician, in a crown and generous layers of mascara. It’s the last regular-season home game for the New York Liberty, the city’s Women’s National Basketball Association (wnba) team, and seats are sold out. “The atmosphere is unbelievable,” says Ana Bermúdez, a lawyer who has been a fan since the league’s launch in 1997.
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This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “Slam dunk”
From the September 27th 2025 edition
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