WNBA’s Commissioner Cup, explained

To mark its 25th season, the WNBA introduced the inaugural Commissioner’s Cup, which will be held Thursday, August 12 between the best two teams in the Eastern and Western conferences. The Connecticut Sun (East) will take on the Seattle Storm (West) at 9 p.m. ET with the game airing on Amazon Prime.

What is the Commissioner’s Cup?

The Commissioner’s Cup is an in-season competition that was officially introduced in the 2021 regular season. It involves all 12 WNBA teams where the winner receives a $500,000 prize and is named the Commissioner's Cup champion.

How is it decided?

Out of the 60 games in the WNBA regular season, there are 10 contests that are dedicated solely for the Commissioner’s Cup. According to the WNBA, “Cup games” are the first home and away games each team plays against their five intra-conference rivals during the first half of the season. Ultimately, who ever had the best record in the East and West conferences for Cup games will play in the championship game.

How to watch the Commissioner’s Cup?

The Commissioner’s Cup will be televised on Amazon Prime at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Who is competing in the Commissioner’s Cup?

The Seattle Storm, who had the best Commissioner Cup record in the West (8-2), will take on the Connecticut Sun, who had the best record in East (9-1).

A look at the 2021 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Leaderboard:

Eastern Conference

1. Connecticut Sun: 9-1
2. Chicago Sky: 6-4
3. New York Liberty: 5-5
4. Atlanta Dream: 4-6
5. Washington Mystics: 4-6
6. Indiana Fever: 2-8

Western Conference

1. Seattle Storm: 8-2
2. Minnesota Lynx: 7-3
3. Las Vegas Aces: 6-4
4. Phoenix Mercury: 5-5
5. Dallas Wings: 3-7
6. Los Angeles Sparks: 1-9