The 2025 WNBA season is upon us, and it’s already making waves. From Caitlin Clark draining logo threes to Paige Bueckers debuting for the Dallas Wings, and the Golden State Valkyries hitting the court for the first time, pre-season coverage has been electric. For those of us who’ve spent years advocating for women’s sports, the buzz surrounding this season isn’t just exciting, it’s a powerful reflection of the league’s progress and promise.

Rising viewership. New sponsorships. Sold-out arenas. Long-overdue increases in minimum salaries making their way into collective bargaining agreements. These are signs that the tide is turning. But let’s not mistake momentum for a final destination. The truth is, we’re still playing catch-up inside systems that were never built with equity in mind. 

Earlier this year, I sat on a panel during NBA All-Star Weekend titled, “It’s Not Women’s Sports, It’s Sports, Stupid.” I loved the sentiment of this framing. If you’re into professional sports, it doesn’t matter whether you’re watching men or women play—the competition has the same power to captivate and inspire. It’s why some of us dare to dream of a future where the label “women’s sports” is no longer needed. But while we may aspire to treat all sports equally, pretending the playing field is already level overlooks decades of systemic inequity built into the longer-running, more........

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