A new proposal to start the women's basketball season days before the men's season could amplify the growing attention on the women's game.
The NCAA men's and women's basketball oversight committees have proposed that the women's basketball season begin on the Monday that falls 22 weeks before the women's Final Four of each season — two days before the start of the men's season — beginning with the 2025-26 campaign. With the women beginning their season on a Monday and the men beginning their season on a Wednesday, the women's game “would have increased marketing and promotional opportunities that would contribute to the elevation of the sport at the campus level,” according to the NCAA's Wednesday release.
The change would also help both sports avoid conflicts with Election Day and provide more flexibility for television windows and venue demands.
The start date and length of the practice season currently ranges from 21 to 22 weeks for men's and women's basketball, which begin their seasons on the same day each year.
If the Division I Council approves the change in October, the first women's basketball game could be played on Nov. 3, 2025, and men's basketball could begin on Nov. 5, 2025. Both sports are scheduled to begin their seasons on Nov. 11, 2025, under current guidelines.
The NCAA and ESPN recently agreed to an eight-year, $920 million extension on their broadcast rights deal for 40 championships, a package that includes the women’s Final Four and the national championship game. The growth of women’s basketball, which skyrocketed as Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and others became celebrities in recent years, is credited with playing a major role in the massive increase (three times the previous deal) in revenue the NCAA will receive. Of the $115 million per year the NCAA will receive under the new deal, $65 million of that total is tied to the NCAA women’s tournament, NCAA president Charlie Baker told Front Office Sports this year.
