Following a historic rookie season by Caitlin Clark, the WNBA has announced they are expanding their regular season schedule to 44 games in 2025.

The current schedule is 40 games. This means fans will have four more games in which to marvel at Clark, WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, and Angel Reese.

In addition to the regular season schedule being extended, and an expansion franchise in the Golden State Valkyries joining the league, the league Finals will also see an upgrade.

The WNBA championship series will be a full 7-game series, the first in league history.

“We are seeing an incredible demand for WNBA basketball, as reflected in the number of cities pursuing expansion franchises, fans attending games and engaging with our social and digital platforms in record fashion, and game broadcasts and streams being consumed like never before,” commissioner Cathy Engelbert said.

“The incredible demand for WNBA basketball makes this the ideal time to increase the regular season to 44 games per team and expand the (Finals) to a best-of-seven series.”

All this brand new incredible demand has a source, and a name.

WNBA Expanding In 2025

It’s hard not to credit Caitlin Clark just a little bit for news that the WNBA is looking to increase exposure for the 2025 regular season and playoffs.

Engelbert herself has pointed out the role the Indiana Fever star has had in increasing ticket and merchandise sales, along with ratings.

“We’re obviously marketing around all of our players, but I think Caitlin’s lifting everybody,” Engelbert said earlier this season. “Our arenas are packed, our viewership, I mean…”

There’s not a chance in heck that this expanded schedule isn’t an excuse to get Clark on television more. More viewers. More ticket sales. More merch.

I’d even wager that the seven-game Finals is in the hopes that she’ll be taking part.

The Indiana Fever themselves recently announced a plan to rebrand in the hopes of capitalizing on Clark’s popularity and becoming a brand name “like Apple.”

She’s Just A Giver

When she isn’t giving fans more games to consume, Caitlin Clark is trying to provide more revenue for everybody involved – including her opponents.

Indiana Fever president Allison Barber revealed the extraordinary selfless request made by Clark during the season, in which she suggested the opposing team be allowed a bonus whenever they sold out games.

And she was the reason they were selling out!

Earlier in the season, it was announced that the WNBA was quadrupling revenue via a $2.2 billion media rights deal. Clark becoming must-see television and delivering a never-ending stream of television ratings were obviously a major factor in that deal.