WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert announced the expansion of the charter flights program earlier this year at the 2023 WNBA Draft. Teams could now fly privately chartered planes for back-to-back games and the playoffs. Engelbert reiterated the policy as recently as All-Star weekend last month.
However, on August. 30, WNBA players and the public learned the policy came with strings attached.
In a memo obtained by The Next’s Howard Megdal, the WNBA informed teams that some won’t be able to use charter flights throughout the playoffs. As the league put it, teams who win a series on the road and have their next series begin on the road can only charter one flight between cities.