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Are you excited to dive into the 2024 WNBA season but feel overwhelmed by the options for following your favorite teams and players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese? You’re not alone.
With the rising popularity of the W, thanks to the league’s young talents, you might be curious about WNBA League Pass. However, the service has nuances that can be daunting for newcomers, leaving you unsure of how to best use it or whether it’s worth subscribing to in the first place.
Fear not! I’ve subscribed to WNBA League Pass for the past few years and in this listicle, I clear up the confusion. With the first preseason games days away, I’ll set you up with my 7 most important things to know to maximize your WNBA viewing experience in 2024.
1. How Much WNBA League Pass Costs
The WNBA streaming service offers two main subscription types to fit different viewing preferences and budgets:
- Annual Subscription: For a one-time payment of $34.99, the annual subscription gives you a full year of access.
- Monthly Subscription: If you prefer not to commit for a whole year, the monthly subscription is available at $12.99 per month.
Regardless of the pricing structure you choose, you get the same benefits while you’re account is active:
- Live out-of-market games
- Every game on-demand
- Access to hundreds of archived games
I recommend going with the annual subscription, as it’s simply the better deal if you want to stream games throughout the entire season. Plus, you can use your subscription on off months to catch up on all the additional content outside of games.
Additional pro tip! If you’re an undergraduate or graduate student at an HBCU in the United States, you can apply for a discounted WNBA League Pass subscription ($19.99 annually). Apply here.
2. What Live Games You Can Watch
Before subscribing to WNBA League Pass, it’s important to understand which games you can watch live.
First, a bummer: You get access to every game, but not every game live.
Because of broadcast agreements, blackouts still apply on:
- National Televised Games: In the U.S., games broadcast on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, CBS, CBS Sports Network, and Prime Video are not available live on League Pass. The same applies to games in Canada on TSN, Sportsnet, CBS, CBS Sports Network, and Prime Video, as well as internationally on Prime Video.
- Locally Televised Games: Games available on a team’s local regional sports network, broadcast, or streaming partner may also be excluded from live streaming on League Pass in the local areas of the participating teams.
I did the math, and per the WNBA schedule, in 2024 there are four preseason games and 176 regular season games that will be available live on the app.
So, it comes down to this: If you’re trying to catch all or nearly every available live WNBA game, you’ll want to also sign up for cable or a streaming service like Fubo, as well as Amazon Prime.
If you’re okay with watching some games a little late, however, there’s some good news. WNBA League Pass gives you access to all games on demand, including those now available live, once the game is over.
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3. What’s Up With Past Game Access
One of the prime features of WNBA League Pass is its archive, which is a treasure trove for both new fans and longtime followers of the league. When you sign up, you get:
- Current Season Games: Not only can you watch all out-of-market games live (with some national and local restrictions), but you also get full-length replays of every game from the current 2024 season.
- Classic Games: With a subscription, you also can dive into hundreds of classic games available in the archives. This includes unforgettable moments like last-second buzzer beaters and rare WNBA dunks.
If you’re new to the WNBA, this feature is particularly clutch because you can catch up on recent seasons or explore historical games to understand the league’s evolution and its past players.
4. How to Watch Games with WNBA League Pass
In most cases, you watch WNBA games via the WNBA app, which is nice because it allows you to watch from almost anywhere.
Here’s the lowdown:
- If you sign up through the WNBA website or in-app on mobile, Fire TV, or Roku, you can watch games on:
- WNBA App on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV
- Android smartphones and tablets
- Fire TV and Roku devices
- Casting from mobile/tablet devices to Chromecast
- Computer browser
- If you subscribe through YouTube TV or YouTube Prime Channels, you can only watch games on those platforms.
* One limitation here is accessibility. I like to watch WNBA League Pass on a bigger screen, and the WNBA App isn’t available on my Samsung Smart TV.
Because of this, I have to use my iPhone to play the game via the WNBA App and then cast it to my television. It’s not the biggest deal, but sometimes the connection is fragile and I get kicked out. Plus, I’m unable to use my phone while I watch. Fingers crossed Samsung adds the WNBA League Pass app to its library.
Additional pro tip! When you sign up, you’ll first be asked to select your favorite WNBA teams. This is only to tailor your dashboard – you’ll still get access to all WNBA League Pass content.
5. You Can Opt for Single Game Passes
Not ready to commit to a full subscription? WNBA League Pass offers a flexible option to buy games individually.
For just $2.99 per game, you can select any single WNBA League Pass game to watch. This is perfect if there are only a few games you’re interested in or if you’re supplementing your existing cable service.
This ala carte option is a low-cost way to enjoy WNBA games without a monthly or annual commitment.
6. You Get Access to More Than Games
A WNBA League Pass subscription offers much more than just live and past games. You also get an all-access pass to a wealth of exclusive WNBA content, like:
- Digital Series: Enjoy unique shows like “Off Top with Ari Chambers” and “M’VP: A Champ’s Diary,” which offers a view of A’ja Wilson during the Aces’ Ring and Banner Night and her team’s quest for another championship.
- Behind-the-Scenes Access: Get closer to the players with press conferences, sit-down interviews, and more.
If you’re getting more familiar with the league, this additional content provides a deeper connection to your favorite teams and players.
7. WNBA League Pass is Worth Every Penny
Despite a few limitations, the benefits of subscribing to WNBA League Pass far outweigh its drawbacks:
- Comprehensive Access: While you might miss some live games due to broadcast rights, you still gain live access to a majority of games, plus full replays and an extensive archive of past seasons.
- Quality and Convenience: The WNBA has improved the functionality and user-friendliness of the WNBA App, making it easier to enjoy games.
- Exclusive Content: You get access to exclusive digital series, behind-the-scenes footage, and extensive player interviews, for a deeper dive into the WNBA universe.
- Support the League: Your subscription is one way to directly support the WNBA and its players, helping to grow the sport and ensure its future.
- Affordable Entertainment: Priced at just $34.99 per year or $12.99 per month, League Pass offers significant value for the price, considering the volume and variety of content.
In conclusion, WNBA League Pass is undoubtedly a worthwhile buy for both die-hard fans and newcomers to the league. Click here to subscribe.
Other FAQs
Does WNBA League Pass offer a free trial?
WNBA League Pass does not offer free trials consistently. However, they occasionally provide a week-long free preview during the season. For those seeking trial options, WNBA games are also accessible through other services like YouTube TV, Fubo, Sling, and DirecTV Stream, which offer free trials.
Can I get a WNBA League Pass promo code?
While the WNBA and its teams have historically offered promo codes, these are not available regularly. They do, however, offer an ongoing discount for eligible college students.
What about all the personal data collection that accompanies subscription to League Pass? I don’t want a ton of unsolicited ads, spam and email. Any pushback from fandom re: digital privacy?
Hi Kat! You bring up some good concerns – I haven’t heard of any pushback. In my experience with League Pass, I don’t receive any unsolicited ads or spam, and the emails I do receive from the league aren’t too frequent and are focused mostly on letting you know what League Pass games are coming up.