Stadium Journey's 2025 WNBA Arena Ranking
- Paul Baker
- 9 hours ago
- 5 min read
The WNBA built on its record-setting 2024 season with an even bigger and better 2025 season. 2025 featured more games in bigger arenas, more sellouts, a new franchise in San Francisco, the announcement of four new teams to join the league in the coming years, greater exposure, ratings, and attention.
However, there are clouds on the horizon. Rumors of sale and relocation dogged the Connecticut Sun franchise all year. When a local owner was found and announced plans to move the team to Boston and the TD Garden, the league stepped in to announce that league bylaws dictated that the ownership group from the failed Houston bid may get priority to purchase and move the franchise. Also, with the CBA expiring at the end of October, there is a real possibility of a protracted work stoppage that may affect the 2026 season. At the moment, the two sides seem far apart on many key issues.
But right now, the playoffs are in full swing, and a new champion will soon be crowned. In keeping with the playoff atmosphere, Stadium Journey is proud to present our rankings of 12 of the 13 WNBA arenas. (Sorry, Golden State, we were not able to get out to your new arena this summer)
These rankings are based on Stadium Journey’s patented FANFARE rating scale, which evaluates each venue across seven key categories:
🍔 Food & Beverage Options
🎉 Game Day Atmosphere
🏙️ Surrounding Neighborhood
🙌 Fan Support
💸 Return on Investment
🧩 Extras - Unique features that don’t fit neatly into the other categories or deserve additional acknowledgement
When two or more venues earn the same score, the Stadium Journey Council of Elders steps in to break the tie with their seasoned insight.
To dive deeper into each stadium’s review, just click the link associated with the team’s name. Enjoy the rankings - and see where your favorite arena lands! We expect that our list will spark a great deal of debate, and after all, that's what lists like these are designed to do. Share your opinions on our social media pages. We're on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
Marc Viquez - Climate Pledge Arena is a building that stands out among the rest of the WNBA and the nation. The interaction with fans and the team provides an ideal atmosphere for a first-time visitor, and the neighborhood is worth spending a few hours at before or after the game. When you add free mass transportation to the game, visiting the building is a must in Seattle.
Marc Viquez - The Fever might be the hottest ticket in town since Caitlin Clark arrived in 2004. They are among the leaders in league attendance figures, along with increased support from the area. The playoff run this season, with the services of Clark, has gone well with both old and new fans of the team. Gone are the days of the closed balcony sections and lukewarm response.
Lloyd Brown - The stands fill as quickly as the Target Center doors open, as fans do not even want to miss the warmups. Be sure to look up at all the various championship banners the Lynx have earned at the Target Center over the years. It is a great way to get fired up before the game even starts.
Paul Baker - It’s been a long time since New York City has seen a hoops title, and fans are showing their appreciation to the Liberty with unprecedented support. Brooklyn sports fans are proud to call this squad their own, and you can expect to see the team supported with open arms and full throats when you visit the Barclays Center.
Meg Minard - Attending a Mercury basketball game is an enjoyable afternoon/evening out. If you haven’t been to the arena in a while, come check out some summer hoops at PHX Arena in downtown Phoenix.
Andrei Ojeda - L.A. Sparks basketball is the type of entertainment that is perfect for that type of fan who wants to see some great basketball action live without leaving a huge hole on the wallet. They provide quite an entertaining professional basketball experience.
Lloyd Brown - You are going to have a great time at a Las Vegas Aces game at the Michelob ULTRA Arena. Terrific basketball, Vegas-style entertainment during the breaks, and easy access to food, drink, and gambling add up to a very entertaining evening!
Gregory Koch - The Washington Mystics are drawing sellout crowds to CareFirst Arena nearly every game and seem to be outgrowing their home there very quickly. Someday soon, they may move back to Capital One Arena, but for now, a Mystics game at CFA is a great experience.
Paul Baker - While the Mohegan Sun Arena is a fine facility, it seems like the rapid growth of the WNBA has rendered it obsolete. With its smaller capacity, lack of premium amenities, and location far from a major city, the Sun has been put up for sale and has been searching for a new home. It seems the Sun is setting on the Mohegan Sun Arena.
Lloyd Brown - The Wintrust Arena is a worthy home court for a championship team. It has excellent views of the game action from any of its seating areas and features a wonderful audiovisual package, with a huge center-hung video board. It has easy access for fans, as it is located on multiple bus and train routes in a city that lives on public transit.
Lloyd Brown - The Atlanta Dream finally has a home of its own for the first time in its 15 years of existence. It is working closely with its neighbors to make professional sports more accessible to communities on the Southside of Atlanta.
Lloyd Brown - The Wings home at the College Park Center is easy to get to from almost anywhere in the Dallas metroplex. It provides the team with an arena that is right-sized for the average WNBA crowd. There is little or no evidence that the arena primarily serves as a college sports venue, as the team’s blue and green color scheme is carried throughout the facility for their home games.
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