"The WNBA has never been more visible. The best-of-seven-games finals between the Phoenix Mercury and Las Vegas Aces will tip off Friday night before what are expected to be the largest TV audiences that women's basketball has ever drawn. Crowds have swelled, viewership milestones have toppled, franchise valuations are soaring and formerly niche stars have broken into the mainstream. Yet as the league celebrates a second straight year of explosive growth, an old and thorny problem has risen to the surface: officiating."
"Complaints about referees have always been louder and more persistent in professional basketball relative to other sports due to the subjectivity of calls and sheer number of decisions. But in the WNBA's 2025 season, the volume and intensity of the criticism from all sides has reached new heights. Coaches have been ejected and suspended. Star players have vented in press conferences and online. Fans have dissected blown calls with Zapruder-film rigor."
WNBA visibility has surged, with the Phoenix Mercury–Las Vegas Aces finals expected to draw the largest TV audiences in league history. Crowds have swelled, viewership records have fallen, franchise valuations have risen, and formerly niche stars have gained mainstream recognition. Officiating emerged as a prominent problem amid that growth, with criticism escalating in the 2025 season. Coaches faced ejections and suspensions, and star players publicly voiced frustration. Fans meticulously analyzed missed calls. A pivotal semifinal moment occurred when a no-call on Alyssa Thomas left Napheesa Collier injured and prompted Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve to angrily confront officials, affecting Game 3's outcome.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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