There is a reason why, even when star WNBA players demand ‘Pay Us What You Owe Us,’ the league hasn’t obliged. It is because they don’t make a profit! NBA commissioner Adam Silver once said, in 2018, that the WNBA’s losses were roughly $10 million a year. Reports last fall said the WNBA was due to lose $40 million in 2024. Amidst this issue, the last thing the league would want is to splurge its money into any additional investments. However, the non-profits aren’t stopping team owners from going big into new practice facilities for their players.

A social media user by the name of ‘Merrikaty’ recently highlighted a comparison of how much the front office of each top WNBA team is spending on their respective practice facilities.

• At the top is the Los Angeles Sparks, which, according to reports, will be spending a whopping $150 million. In the same price range is a facility for the Portland Fire/Thorns.
• Meanwhile, the New York Liberty, which announced a Dedicated State-of-the-Art 75,000 Sq. Ft. Practice Facility in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, back in March, will spend $80 million.
• The Indiana Fever isn’t that far behind with a $78 million investment for a new three-story, 108,000-square-foot facility.
• The Dallas Wings, who acquired the 2025 1st draft pick Paige Bueckers, will spend $55 million, and the Chicago Sky will spend $38 million.

Keeping the individual issues aside for each respective team’s facilities, there is a good chance that, as reported back in late August, the WNBA might be on the brink of the league’s first-ever lockout. Back then, the Women’s National Basketball Players’ Association (WNBPA) and league officials could not decide on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) ahead of the October 31 deadline. From the looks of it, the WNBA didn’t seem too worried about rushing the process. However, even by late September, there has been no update. Therefore, making such huge investments won’t matter in light of any additional losses generated due to the lockout.

If all that wasn’t enough, the league also has to consider the ‘Unrivaled’ league slowly rising as a competitor. Several players, ranging from Angel Reese to Gabby Williams, have called out the WNBA for treating them poorly in comparison to ‘Unrivaled’.

After Angel Reese reportedly received a $50k bonus after her ‘Unrivaled’ team Rose BC won the chip, she took to X and wrote “50K NEED DATTTTT”. The Chicago Sky star later added to her remark by stating, “I’m sorry to break it to you but I’m on a rookie contract, and that 50k was a little more than half of my contract so I have to keep that to myself.”

A new practice facility could help boost morale. Then again, some might question whether that huge investment could instead be used to pay their current players more.

Even a significant investment raises questions about the long-term future. However, with plans drawn up, there is nothing much that teams can do now to reverse their decisions. Furthermore, if reports are to be believed, then the teams are already taking significant steps to save money for the facilities.

Was Sandy Brondello Fired Because of the New York Liberty’s $80 Million Practice Facility?

During the latest episode of the Good Follow podcast, WNBA insiders Ros Gold-Onwude and Angel McCoughtry touched base on Sandy Brondello’s firing. The New York Liberty head coach was let go of by the team, and it was announced on Tuesday morning that it won’t renew Brondello’s contract for the 2026 season. Her departure comes after Sabrina Ionescu and co had an early playoff exit just a season after the team secured the WNBA championship. Since there was no specific reason given for Brondello’s exit, it created a wave of speculation. The two hosts only added to it.

“I think the bigger message that we’re getting from the Liberty is that, and this is from the like Liberty organization and franchise who all those people up at the top. The message is that a first-round exit is not the standard. I will not cut it. Not with all that talent on the roster. Not with all those Finals MVPs on the roster. Liberty played with three finals MPVs. Not with the investment of $80 million practice facility coming. Not with the rising ticket prices that their fan base has been very vocal about, and the disappointment of that,” said Ros Gold-Onwude.

Saving money where one can, could help to reduce any losses stemming from the investment of the practice facilities. While Sandy Brondello did lead the team to the championship last season, her coaching came under criticism this season. As Ros Gold-Onwude added, “There were multiple times they did not come ready to play. There were some really bad head scratching losses, and perhaps you know, brass and the executive upstairs thought that it showed a lack of preparedness for a team with that much talent.”

There are no additional reports to provide validity to the claim that Sandy Brondello was let go due to the huge cost of the practice facility. If that happens to be the case, then one hopes that the investment is even worth the cost of cutting ties with a coach like her.