Thirty Seasons Later: WNBA Celebrates Anniversary of Inaugural Game as Liberty and Sparks Meet Again

On June 21, 1997, 14,284 fans filed into the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles to watch the New York Liberty take on the Los Angeles Sparks. It was the first game in the history of the Women's National Basketball Association, a heavily marketed experiment backed by the NBA. Exactly 29 years later, as the league celebrates its 30th season, those same two cornerstone franchises will meet again on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena. The anniversary matchup serves as both a celebration of the league's unlikely survival and a testament to its explosive modern growth.[1]

Back in 1997, the WNBA was an eight-team venture stepping into a graveyard of failed professional women's basketball leagues. Previous attempts in the United States had swiftly folded, leaving the pioneers of the WNBA with an immense sense of pressure to prove that women's basketball could be a viable commercial product. The league launched with a 28-game schedule, maximum salaries capped at $50,000, and a single-elimination playoff format.[2]

Lisa Leslie and Rebecca Lobo, the marquee stars of the Sparks and Liberty respectively, openly admitted to feeling the weight of the league's future on their shoulders. Leslie, a Los Angeles native and former USC star, recalled the internal debate over whether to attempt a dunk in the open court to silence critics, ultimately deciding against it in the heat of the moment. "I did feel the burden of carrying the league," Leslie confessed after the inaugural contest.[1]

The first game itself was a jittery, defensive battle. The Liberty secured a 67-57 victory in a matchup where both teams combined to shoot just 47 for 128 from the field. Los Angeles guard Penny Toler scored the first basket in league history, while players struggled with opening-night nerves and the glaring spotlight of national NBC cameras. As The New York Times noted the following morning, the shooting was atrocious and turnovers arrived nearly two a minute, but the league had successfully transitioned from an ad campaign into a reality.[1][2]

Thirty seasons later, the contrast between that gritty debut and the modern WNBA is staggering. The league has expanded to 15 teams—with official plans to reach 18 franchises by 2030—and the regular season has grown to 44 games. Maximum player salaries have skyrocketed to $1.4 million, franchise valuations now average over $400 million, and the playoffs have expanded into a grueling, multi-round gauntlet culminating in a best-of-seven championship series.

The on-court product has also evolved into a high-octane showcase of perimeter skill, spacing, and athleticism that would have been unrecognizable in the late 1990s. Just a day before the anniversary, the Dallas Wings and Chicago Sky demonstrated this modern firepower. Dallas guard Paige Bueckers fueled a 36-point fourth quarter, orchestrating a thrilling 15-point comeback victory that highlighted the deep, elite talent pool now defining the league on a nightly basis.

To honor the journey from 1997 to 2026, Sunday's anniversary broadcast will lean heavily into nostalgia. Both the Liberty and Sparks will take the court in "court-origins" jerseys—modernized, less baggy versions of their original 1997 uniforms. The Sparks are also officially launching their "Legends Program" during the game, recognizing alumni from across the franchise's three-decade history, including Leslie and Mwadi Mabika.

ESPN, which has partnered with the WNBA since its inception, is dedicating significant broadcast resources to the milestone. Rebecca Lobo will call the game alongside play-by-play announcer Ryan Ruocco, bringing her unique perspective as a player who took the court for the Liberty in that very first matchup. A special pregame show will feature Lobo, Leslie, and Hannah Storm—who called the 1997 game—reflecting on the moments that shaped women's professional basketball.

The cultural footprint of the league has expanded in tandem with its business metrics. Where the 1997 season relied heavily on the novelty of a women's professional league, the 2026 season is driven by organic, rabid fanbases and year-round media coverage. The WNBA now commands prime-time television slots, dedicated daily podcasts, and massive social media engagement, proving that the appetite for women's sports is both sustainable and highly lucrative.

For the women who took the floor in 1997, the 30th season anniversary is a moment of profound vindication. The WNBA is no longer a fragile experiment hoping to secure a foothold in the American sports landscape; it is a cultural juggernaut. Today's superstars are reaping the benefits of the foundation laid 30 seasons ago, turning the burden once carried by the pioneers into a thriving, permanent institution.[1]