The WNBA’s Commissioner’s Cup is back for its fourth year, adding a little more excitement and competitive fervor to the regular season.
This in-season tournament has evolved since its inception, and 2024 arrives with an updated format and heightened stakes.
Let’s dive into the origins of the Commissioner’s Cup, the changes introduced this year, the structure of the tournament, and the sweet rewards winners come home with.
Short and Sweet History
The Commissioner’s Cup was introduced in 2021 to infuse additional excitement into the WNBA season. It gives players and teams another avenue for competition beyond the regular season and WNBA playoffs.
The Cup also provides a platform for teams to support social justice initiatives. The league’s players have never shied away from using their platform to push change, so this charity component is a nice addition to the tournament.
Over its short life, the Commission’s Cup has gotten increasingly popular. Both fans, who appreciate the competition, and players, who like the chance to win money, are fully into it.
So far, different teams have won the Cup each year. The Seattle Storm won the inaugural Commission’s Cup in 2021, beating the Connecticut Sun in the Cup final game 79-57.
Changes and New Features in 2024
The 2024 Commissioner’s Cup comes with several changes. Here are the key updates for 2024:
- Condensed Schedule: Teams play 5 qualifying games over 13 days this year, unlike previous years where each team played 10.
- In-Conference Play: During the qualifying phase, teams will play against their in-conference opponents once.
- New Ball Design: The WNBA has introduced a specially designed black-and-white ball with rose gold graphics for the Commissioner’s Cup. This is to help make the tournament easily recognizable and distinct from regular season play.
“The fire orange and white WNBA ball remains iconic, but this new black, white, and rose gold color scheme makes it instantly clear to fans when they are watching a Commissioner’s Cup game,” explained Bethany Donaphin, Head of WNBA League Operations.
How the Commissioner’s Cup Works
The Commissioner’s Cup integrates with the regular WNBA season. So, qualifying games count toward both regular season win-loss record and Cup standings. Here’s a breakdown of how it all works:
Qualifying Games
Starting June 1st and running through June 13th, each team plays 5 qualifying games against in-conference opponents.
The Final
Based on qualifying game results, the top teams from each conference face off in the final. This final Cup game takes place on June 25th and is hosted by the team with the best overall record in Cup play.
The Stakes: Money and Recognition
The winning team shares a $500,000 prize pool. This means each player on the winning team can earn approximately $45,000.
The 2024 tournament is sponsored by Coinbase, which has committed an additional $120,000 in cryptocurrency to the pool (roughly $5,000 for each player in the championship game).
There’s also an MVP bonus. The Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the championship game will receive an additional bonus.
Also, each participating team sponsors a nonprofit organization dedicated to social justice. At the tournament’s conclusion, donations are made to these organizations.
Past Champs
There have been three different Commissioner’s Cup champions in the in-season tournament’s three years.
- 2021: The Seattle Storm claimed the inaugural Cup in 2021, defeating the Connecticut Sun with a decisive 79-57 victory.
- 2022: The Las Vegas Aces won the following year, overcoming the Chicago Sky 93-83, and later securing the 2022 WNBA title.
- 2023: In 2023, the New York Liberty beat the Aces 82-63 in the Cup final, though they fell short in the WNBA championship later that year.
More About the WNBA
Stay tuned to our basketball blog for ongoing coverage, education, and updates on the WNBA and the sport of women’s basketball. Or check out our most popular WNBA posts, like the one exploring the WNBA logo or the one on how many fouls to foul out in the WNBA.
