‘Summer is our identity’: WNBL to withstand season change

• How Aussie great Sam Mackinnon plans to fly high with Southside
• Lynx legend Sami Whitcomb returns to Perth on a two-year deal
• WNBL27 Roster Tracker: Every move in free agency

The WNBL won’t change the season to winter in the foreseeable future – with the legendary Lauren Jackson adamant summer is where the league can “explode” to regain its mantle as Australia’s premier women’s sporting competition, writes Matt Logue from CODE Sports.

The prospect of moving the WNBL season to the middle of the year in a bid to attract more overseas imports has been discussed among officials. Jackson says “options are on the table for the future” in regards to potentially changing the season from its current date of October to March.

However, for now, she believes the league has found its home in the warmer months and it’s paramount the WNBL has the chance to lure home Australia’s 12 WNBA stars during their off-season.

“Our season is a summer season and we are growing and building it,” Jackson said in Sydney on Friday – where Optus was announced as a new major partner for the NBL and WNBL.

“That is part of our identity, we have a great product and where the season sits in the annual calendar right now is perfect.

“A lot of our great athletes are WNBA players and right now we don’t want to lose the ability to have those Australian players here (in the WNBL).

“We’ve got a premium product – it is perfect where it is and we want to continue to grow it and build it.”

The WNBL is coming off its first season under the Larry Kestelman and Robyn Denholm ownership structure. The competition experienced unprecedented growth, with record-breaking viewership and stadium attendance.

Nearly 200,000 fans attended games, marking a 43 per cent year-on-year increase. Jackson – who is the WNBL’s Chief Strategy and Basketball Partnerships Officer – says the competition is just getting started.

For the full story on CODE Sports Basketball, click here.