What to expect from The Athletic's women's basketball coverage in 2026? Even more

Let’s go back 30 years.The WNBA’s first season had no salary cap and players received as little as $15,000 to play. The best players topped out around $50,000, even as stars in 1997 became household names — Cynthia Cooper, Lisa Leslie, Rebecca Lobo, Sheryl Swoopes.Excitement was there, but skepticism abounded. How long would the league exist? Would people watch? Was this a novelty? Would interest eventually wear off? How could it sustain itself financially?Advertisement