After more than forty years, Australia’s oldest women's pro sports league is stepping onto a bigger stage in 2025.

The Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) has been part of Australia’s sporting landscape since 1981. But this year, its season opener won’t be just another regular game. With the 2025 comp getting started at Melbourne Park’s John Cain Arena, it’s the beginning of a new WNBL era — one built on the momentum and visibility of women’s sport, and a new generation of stars.

Today, we’ll unpack the league’s evolution, what to expect from this year’s opener between the Jayco Southside Melbourne Flyers and University of Canberra Capitals, why it matters, and what it tells us about the future..

The decision to stage round one at John Cain Arena is about more than scheduling; it’s about symbolism.

The 10,500-seat arena signals the league's ambition to attract bigger crowds and more attention. The only other time the WNBL has hosted a game at John Cain Arena was for Australian basketball legend Lauren Jackson’s final game in 2023. 

TDA Sport spoke to Olympic medallist, three-time WNBL champion, and Southside Flyers recruit Cayla George, who put it simply: “There’s no better way to really start this new, refreshed, revamped WNBL than at one of the biggest stadiums here in Victoria.”

George’s opponent in that opener, Canberra Capitals guard Jade Melbourne, agreed: “John Cain Arena holds unbelievable sporting events… It sets the tone for the new era of the WNBL.”

The message is clear: the WNBL wants to be seen in 2025.

The WNBL’s timing is no accident. Women’s basketball globally is having a moment.

This year, America’s professional women’s basketball league, the WNBA, shattered its single-season attendance record. Over 3 million people attended WNBA games in 2025, surpassing the 2002 record of 2.36 million. 

In its first season in the WNBA, the Golden State Valkyries, who are based in San Francisco, sold out every home game with a record average attendance of over 18,000 spectators. It bodes well for the league, which will expand by five teams between now and 2030.

Cayla George sees an opportunity to harness that same energy here: “There’s a bit of momentum happening with women’s basketball right now… We want to ride that wave in a really positive way.”

Jade Melbourne, who spends part of her year in the WNBA with the Washington Mystics, said: “The WNBA has so much attention - Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, the eyes they’ve brought. Every game day is a big event. We can take inspiration, but also put our Aussie twist on it.”

That’s not to say the landscape of the WNBL hasn’t already changed dramatically.

Since debuting for the Capitals in 2020, Melbourne indicated that the WNBL is on a similar trajectory: “I’ve seen increases in crowd sizes. The minimum salaries increased by quite a bit over the last few years. We’ve got physios at practice now, recovery facilities. It’s a really exciting time, and I know all teams are really excited about what the future holds.”

The WNBL’s new owners, who took control in April this year, have leaned into this momentum with a refreshed identity under the motto ‘Ready to Rise’. 

In May, a landmark collective bargaining agreement was signed. The four-year deal means that by the 2028/29 season, the minimum wage for the WNBL will rise to equal the NBL's minimum wage pro-rata rate.

In August, the league signed a two-year broadcast deal to have every single game of the season streamed on 9Now, making the WNBL more accessible than ever for fans. 

These developments are all testament to the new ownership group’s mission to make the WNBL a global leader in women’s sport. The John Cain opener will be the first test of whether or not this mission is resonating with fans.Section 3

Be part of women’s basketball history

For the first time ever, John Cain Arena is hosting the WNBL Season Opener on Saturday, October 18 at 2pm – and it’s going to be epic.

The Jayco Southside Melbourne Flyers take on the University of Canberra Capitals in a clash packed with star power, featuring a mix of Opals after taking home bronze at the 2024 Olympics, and Gems fresh off winning gold at the Asia Cup.

With tickets from just $25, this isn’t just a game, it's a landmark moment for women’s basketball and women’s sport.

If you’re heading to John Cain Arena on 18 October, you’ll see some of the best basketball talent in the country.

George will lead the Southside Flyers, alongside rising star Isabelle Bourne and three-time WNBL champion Maddy Rocci. The Canberra Capitals arrive with Melbourne, Opals teammate Zitina Aokuso, and WNBL veteran Sara Blicavs. 

As George put it: “It’ll be just a really great opportunity to see Australian players and up-and-coming Australian players, and some international flavour, playing on the same court for round one.”

Melbourne knows her opponents well: “The Southside Flyers have always been a tough and gritty team. They’ve got a super talented roster.”

The two sides last met in January, when the Capitals came out on top.

Both sides missed the finals last season and will be desperate to start the year on the right note.

While the opener highlights how the WNBL is levelling up, it’s clear that there is one thing that won’t change: the league’s culture.

Melbourne told TDA Sport she thinks the “coolest thing” about the WNBL culture is “we’re all genuinely happy for each other’s success”.

It’s a sentiment echoed by George: “ We have a real love for each other, and a sisterhood and a culture… You want to do it for each other.”

The culture is an important barometer of the WNBL’s future success, as its current players become role models for the next generation.

As the league continues to grow, for players like George and Melbourne, the goal remains the same: Championship glory.

“Another WNBL championship would be amazing,” George said.

“I want to win a WNBL championship,” Melbourne added.