When a new WNBL ownership group stepped in on April 2, the league’s new CBA was announced just four weeks later. However, the league’s new ownership would quickly need to deal with the lengthy, ongoing negotiations surrounding the sale of the iconic Adelaide Lightning. For a moment, it appeared as though the Lightning would not be participating in the next WNBL season at all.
That changed when South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas held a press conference informing the public that Adelaide would have a club in the WNBL for the next three seasons, under public funding.
Since joining the WNBL in 1993 as the Adelaide Lightning, they’ve become the longest tenured WNBL franchise (as it pertains to naming.) Aside from one season as the Adelaide Fellas in 2005-06, the Lightning brand has been an icon of the league for over three decades.
The club has a rich history, with Rachel Sporn widely considered its most storied player. Sporn was a member of the WNBL All-Star Five every year between 1992 and 2002, aside from the years she played for the Detroit Shock in the WNBA. She was WNBL league MVP in 1996 and 1997, as well as Finals MVP in 1994 and 1995. Her career saw her lead the Lightning to four championships.
On the news of ownership, Sporn told the media, “After so much uncertainty over the last few weeks, this wonderful news is exactly what we were all hoping for and that our rich history can continue in a national competition.” She added: “It is crucial that we have a pathway and role models to aspire to for our current and future junior basketballers.”
Over the past two seasons the Lightning has boasted WNBA talent like Brianna Turner, who led the league in rebounds and stocks (steals plus blocks) in both seasons. Stephanie Talbot has been a fixture of the team since 2019, winning MVP in 2020. 2024 Atlanta Dream draftee Isobel Borlase has shown exponential development through her four years in the WNBL, all with the Lightning. Borlase has established herself as a mainstay for the Australian Opals national team, in large part due to her WNBL dominance. She was named to the All-WNBL First Team as a member of the Lightning last year, aged 19.
Throughout the WNBL’s history, the Adelaide Lightning have had basketball players that play a large importance to the domestic and international product. Premier Malinauskas highlighted the necessity of this investment for the overall health of the next generation: “We are not going to get kids off screens and grow the number of active female sports participants if we don’t have teams like the Adelaide Lightning promoting basketball and physical activity to young girls.” Malinauskas added, “This is a fundamentally good thing and will help inspire the next Rachael Sporn or Steph Talbot.”
The move has received the endorsement of the WNBL, with CEO Jennie Sager and majority owner Robyn Denholm aligned. Sager shared: “Adelaide has a rich history in the WNBL, producing many star athletes who are also Olympians and WNBA champions. It was always our preference to keep a team here and we are incredibly grateful for the support from the South Australian government which allows us to do so.”
Denholm strengthened this position: “We are proud to partner with the South Australian Government to build the new era of the WNBL ensuring the next generation of female basketballers have an elite pathway and competition.”
As the league welcomes this decision, it looks forward to the impact it can have on the WNBL and Australian basketball on an international level. Denholm is consistent in her stance, sharing: “Our vision is to be a global leader in women’s sport. The new WNBL delivers the largest investment in Australian basketball history including a Collective Bargaining Agreement that achieves pro-rata pay parity for our female athletes. We want to continue to build our world class talent here in the lead up to the 2032 Olympics and beyond.”
Sager is excited for the future, telling the media: “This is the beginning of a new chapter, and we look forward to seeing everyone in the community at a game here in Adelaide.”
Through uncertainty, the Lightning’s strong core has stuck together. Retaining an imported player is a challenge that all WNBL teams face, yet Brianna Turner has played consecutive seasons in Adelaide. It’s indicative of the environment they have created, which consistently retains Opals players as well. There’s high confidence that this investment will pay dividends and with assurance on an ownership level, the Lightning have just become a more attractive destination for free agents.
Malinauskas explained the importance of Adelaide’s continued participation in the WNBL: “It was unthinkable that the Adelaide Lightning could not be a fixture in the WNBL. We won’t let it happen.”
All eight WNBL franchises are now locked in for the next season. The salary cap and minimum wage are set to increase as the league ushers in a new era. With women’s basketball booming over the past few years, the time to invest is now.