WNBA replay center will launch in 2027 as officiating heat rises

The WNBA replay center is coming at the start of the 2027 season, commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced Saturday before the All-Star Game, as complaints about officiating remain one of the league’s loudest running debates.

Engelbert described the project as one of the league’s biggest basketball operations investments, saying it will cost tens of millions of dollars and is intended to improve consistency, speed and transparency in officiating.

The league is borrowing a page from the NBA, which has used a centralized replay center since 2014. The WNBA’s operation will be based in the same Secaucus, New Jersey, facility, according to Engelbert.

How will the WNBA replay center work?

A centralized replay center allows replay operators away from the arena to review plays using more available camera angles than game officials have courtside. The goal is to make replay reviews faster and more uniform from game to game.

The NBA’s setup connects all 30 of its arenas directly to Secaucus and uses 94 HD monitors. Some WNBA teams already play in NBA buildings with the needed camera infrastructure, while other WNBA arenas will need upgrades during the offseason, Engelbert said.

Engelbert said the league is still working through the details because technology must be added in every building where WNBA games are played. She also noted that the league sometimes uses different arenas for only a small number of games.

“We’re really excited about this project, the value it will bring to the game,” Engelbert said, adding that people are working behind the scenes to have it ready for next season.

Why is the league making this move now?

Officiating has been under a bright spotlight across recent WNBA seasons. During the 2025 playoffs, Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve and forward Napheesa Collier criticized the league after a disputed no-call that preceded an injury to Collier.

Engelbert later announced a specialized task force focused on officiating consistency and the physicality of play. Reeve, one of the eight members of that group, said earlier this month that she has noticed some improvement, according to CBS Sports.

Engelbert also said Saturday that several offensive measures, including scoring, made field goals, field-goal percentage, 3-pointers, pace and offensive rating, are at all-time highs. She acknowledged that the league has been in an adjustment period, with more fouls called recently, though she said those numbers have begun to settle in recent weeks.

The commissioner said officials review extensive film, including every play, call and non-call, and that significant missed calls are reviewed by referee operations. She said the league has added resources and development advisers as part of its officiating push.

Controversy has continued this season, including criticism that officials have not done enough to protect Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark. CBS Sports reported that Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas received death threats after contact involving Thomas’s fist and Clark’s neck during a loose-ball scramble. No foul was called during the game, but the play was later reviewed and Thomas was assessed a flagrant foul 2.

Will the WNBA add a Last Two Minute Report?

The league is not ready to roll out an NBA-style Last Two Minute Report, Engelbert said. The NBA report reviews calls and material non-calls in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and the final two minutes of overtime.

Engelbert said she has spoken with players about the idea, but no decision has been made because it would require another major allocation of resources.

Bethany Donaphin, the WNBA’s head of league operations, said in a statement that using the NBA’s replay center is part of the league’s investment in technology, players, teams and officials as the WNBA grows.

This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.