Crisis averted: WNBL clubs join new owners

• All WNBL clubs have reportedly agreed to join the new ownership consortium
• Several clubs were in "crisis talks" with minority owner Basketball Australia days before the takeover
• It's unclear what and whether any concessions were made about the terms and conditions for the league or clubs

All WNBL clubs have agreed to join the new ownership — breaking a stalemate that had the potential to pull the league apart, a source has told basketball.com.au.

While all clubs have agreed, sources said not all have signed yet, however. The future of the Adelaide Lightning remains uncertain after owners Pelligra Group put the club up for sale at the end of 2024.

The new ownership of the WNBL is yet to comment nor the clubs who have signed on.

Steve Wren from the Adelaide Lightning's ownership — Pelligra Group — told basketball.com.au's Brayden Heslehurst they handed back the license last year with the understanding if no new group was found, Basketball Australia would take the historic club over, similar to when Basketball WA took over managing the Perth Lynx prior to the 2020-21 season until new owners were found.

But he also said the league's new ownership group would not take over the club, which meant the Lightning would fold. 

This is not an outcome he wanted and because of that, Pelligra Group wanted to continue to keep the South Australian club alive and confirmed they would sign to be part of the revamped WNBL.

Wren told basketball.com.au, Pelligra remained involved in discussions to be part of the new league until March 20.

One current prominent WNBL player told Basketball.com.au it was a huge relief the clubs had jumped on board.

"I think it’s great that someone who has interest in growing and investing in the league has taken over ownership of it," she said.

"The league has had a lot of talent in it through the years but hasn’t had the exposure or investment to grow it as much as it should. So I’m excited to see how the league will grow in the next few years with this new ownership."

Several of the WNBL clubs and Basketball Australia were in "crisis talks" just hours before the scheduled April 2, 2025 takeover about the proposed contractual agreement tabled by the new ownership, Code Sports Basketball reported.

Since then, there has been radio silence from both sides but clearly negotiations continued post the April 2 deadline.

The breakdown impacted the WNBL's free agency period with one insider expressing deep concern to basketball.com.au's Peter Brown as Code Sports Basketball reported that these four stipulations were at the centre of the stalemate.

• Requirement to cede advertising control of some court and LED signage.
• Requirement to hand over some elements of intellectual property — team name, colours, logos — to the league.
• Cost of meeting a lift in minimum standards to ensure courts were operated and presented at a level fit for professional sport and broadcast.
• The level of funding, understood to be around $300,000, the league would grant to each club

The source said all clubs have now agreed to join the league for WNBL26.

It is unclear what negotiations and concessions were made to get the deal done.

The Wollemi Capital Group Syndicate (WCGS) and the National Basketball League (NBL) consortium finalised the agreement to acquire a majority interest in the WNBL in November last year with Basketball Australia retaining a minority shareholding.

Code Sports Basketball Michael Randall reported earlier this month: "A number chose not to lock into the new agreement by the deadline and one said there is a real chance some owners would choose not to be involved in the new league."

The WNBL could also be back in Queensland's capital for the first time in almost 30 years with the Brisbane Bullets revealing plans to enter a team into Australia's longest running professional women's league.

Basketball.com.au has learned a long-awaited Brisbane women's team could hit the court in the WNBL as early as the 2026/27 season, backed by the NBL club's ownership group and management.

"When I came in as CEO, the ownership group gave me three priorities, and one was for the club to bring a women's team back to the city of Brisbane," Watts told basketball.com.au.

"The ownership group of the Bullets is fully behind this. It is crucial for the maturity of the club that we are heavily involved in driving community outcomes alongside Basketball Queensland for the growth of the game. For young girls to see their heroes, be inspired, and have a pathway to progress into a professional environment is so important."

The 2025-26 WNBL season is expected to start in October, 2025.

— Additional reporting Brayden Heslehurst