WNBA Commissioner’s Cup, explained: Format, schedule, standings and more to know about league's tournament

Sara Tidwell

WNBA Commissioner’s Cup, explained: Format, schedule, standings and more to know about league's tournament image

The WNBA kicked off its regular season and the annual Commissioner's Cup challenge in mid-May.

The first Commissioner's Cup Trophy was won by the Seattle Storm in 2021, and last year's prize was handed to the Las Vegas Aces.

This in-season tournament has nothing to do with the actual playoffs, unlike the NBA's Play-In Tournament. It is held for entertainment and charitable purposes.

Here's everything you need to know about the Commissioner's Cup.

MORE: Full list of starters for 2023 WNBA All-Star Game

How does the WNBA Commissioner's Cup work?

The Commissioner's Cup is a relatively new part of the WNBA calendar, as it has now existed for just three seasons. The in-season competition, which pits conference rivals against each other, is presented by Coinbase.

Last year, the league added another platform that allowed teams to provide funding to local non-profits. (You can find the full list of non-profits here.) Following each Commissioner's Cup game, the WNBA donated $2,000 to the winning team's organization and $500 to the losing team's organization.

Again, the Commissioner's Cup is held during the regular season. The Eastern and Western Conference teams with the highest winning percentages will battle it out for the title and a $500,000 prize.

When does the WNBA Commissioner's Cup start?

The Commissioner's Cup actually started on May 19, which also marked the start of the 2023 regular season. The last set of Commissioner's Cup games will be played on July 12.

The championship game will be played on Aug. 15.

MORE: Watch Ion TV WNBA games on Fubo (free trial)

WNBA Commissioner’s Cup standings

(Current as of June 26)

Eastern Conference

Rank Team Cup record
1 Connecticut Sun 6-2
2 New York Liberty 5-3
3 Atlanta Dream 4-3
4 Washington Mystics 3-4
5 Chicago Sky 2-5
6 Indiana Fever 2-5

Western Conference

Rank Team Cup record
1 Las Vegas Aces 6-0
2 Los Angeles Sparks 5-5
3 Seattle Storm 4-4
4 Dallas Wings 3-3
5 Minnesota Lynx 2-3
6 Phoenix Mercury 1-6

WNBA Commissioner's Cup schedule 2023

Matchup Date Time (ET) TV channel
Liberty at Sun June 27 7 p.m. NBA TV
Storm at Lynx June 27 8 p.m. CBS Sports
Wings at Mercury June 27 10 p.m. CBS Sports
Dream at Mystics June 28 7 p.m. NBA TV
Lynx at Storm June 29 10 p.m. CBS Sports
Mystics at Dream June 30 7:30 p.m. Ion
Sky at Fever July 2 4 p.m. ESPN3
Wings at Aces July 5 10 p.m. League Pass
Fever at Mystics July 7 7 p.m. Ion
Dream at Sky July 7 8 p.m. Ion
Aces at Wings July 7 8 p.m. Ion
Mercury at Lynx July 7 8 p.m. Ion
Aces at Lynx July 9 7 p.m. League Pass
Mercury at Aces July 11 10 p.m. CBS Sports
Liberty at Fever July 12 Noon NBA TV
Sun at Sky July 12 Noon League Pass
Wings at Lynx July 12 1 p.m. Twitter

          Sara Tidwell

          Sara Tidwell Photo

          Sara Tidwell is an editorial intern with The Sporting News. A native to Michigan's Thumb region, she received her Bachelor's degree in journalism from Michigan State University. Previous bylines include the Detroit News, Cincinnati Enquirer, Hartford Courant and The State News.