WNBA announces plans for league-wide charter flights

The GIST: The most highly anticipated WNBA season ever doesn’t begin for another six days, but the league’s already making headlines as they look ahead to next week’s regular-season tip-off. Prepare for takeoff.

✈️ Charter flights, inbound: WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced yesterday that the W intends to fund a full-time charter flight program as early as this season…once the league locks in the planes.

• The $25M, two-season investment is a long time coming and will allow all 12 teams to fly privately to every game, increasing player safety (and comfort) as the W’s popularity skyrockets. They’re soaring, flying.

📺 Opening day to air on Disney+: Amid news of the massive viewership from last weekend’s preseason WNBA Canada Game, next Tuesday’s doubleheader season tip-off will air on Disney+, the first W games to air on the platform. The opening slate notably includes Caitlin Clark’s regular-season pro debut with the Indiana Fever. Teach ’em young.

👀 Updates from training camp: NCAA tournament Final Four MVP Kamilla Cardoso is out for four to six weeks with a shoulder injury, a significant blow to the Chicago Sky’s rebuild, as the rookie could miss up to 13 of their 40 games.

• Elsewhere, surprise draft pick and former Iowa standout Kate “Money” Martin is inching closer to an official roster spot with the Las Vegas Aces as the May 13th finalization deadline approaches.

⬆️ LA Sparks upgrading venues, seating capacity: The purple and gold shifted three of their regular-season home games to Crypto.com Arena, home of the LA Lakers and Clippers. The move increases potential capacity to 19K fans from 4K at the team’s usual home court. The PWHL’s impact.