The Washington Mystics’ game against the Chicago Sky on July 29 marked their third matchup in just four days, highlighting an increasingly condensed WNBA schedule. Players and analysts, including Rebecca Lobo, have raised concerns that this grueling pace may pose long-term health risks and compromises on-court performance.
Average rest days between games in the WNBA have dropped significantly—from about 4.03 in 2021 to just 2.70 in 2025. That decrease is attributed to the league’s decision to expand the regular season from 40 to 44 games without extending the overall calendar.
Rebecca Lobo, the ESPN analyst and former WNBA player, has urged that addressing the condensed schedule become a priority in the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations between the league and the WNBPA. She emphasized that the season is simply too packed, leaving insufficient recovery time for athletes.
Phoenix Mercury All-Star Satou Sabally echoed those concerns after a stretch where her team played nine games across just 18 days. She criticized the compressed format as irresponsible and detrimental to player health.
Other teams are also signaling strain. The Golden State Valkyries, on a difficult five-game road trip, saw fatigue and disorganization emerge as major issues following a lopsided loss, with players and coaching staff citing scheduling pressure as a contributing factor.
This scheduling debate is intensifying amidst pivotal CBA negotiations. The players’ union is seeking not only increases in salary and benefits, but also structural reforms such as extended season timelines, enhanced schedule accommodations, and measures to reduce load and injury risk.
The Mystics’ schedule week typified the issue: from July 26 to 29, they played three games in four days, followed by a brief rest before another back-to-back sequence. This pace leaves little downtime between matchups.
As league revenues soar and media deals advance, the WNBA continues to grow. But without adjustments to how that product is delivered—especially through more humane pacing—the physical toll on players may undercut the league’s long-term quality.
In short, the Mystics–Sky matchup on July 29 acted as a microcosm of a much broader and more systemic issue within the WNBA: one that will likely feature prominently in the next collective bargaining agreement and shape the league’s future trajectory.
