WNBA officiating has been a major storyline this season, with Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark among the many who have been vocal about it not being good enough.
And ahead of the WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday night in Chicago, commissioner Cathy Engelbert made a major announcement about efforts to improve officiating decisions.
Engelbert told the media that the WNBA will launch a “fully centralized” replay center, beginning with the 2027 season, in an effort to improve “efficiency and transparency” with officiating.
Cathy Engelbert announces the WNBA is launching a “fully centralized” replay center beginning with the 2027 season.
Meant to help with “Efficiency and transparency” in officiating process.
— Meghan L. Hall (@ItsMeghanLHall) July 25, 2026
And with Engelbert informing the media, the league released an official statement on the replay center with more details”
“The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) today announced that it will launch centralized Replay Center operations at the start of the 2027 WNBA season, marking a significant advancement in the league’s continued investment in officiating, competitive integrity, and the overall game experience.
Leveraging the NBA’s state-of-the-art Replay Center in Secaucus, N.J., the WNBA Replay Center will serve as the centralized hub for all reviewable replay situations during WNBA games. Utilizing advanced replay technology and a centralized review process, the WNBA Replay Center will provide on-court officials with immediate access to multiple camera angles, along with support from replay officials and staff in Secaucus, helping them make more accurate and efficient decisions when reviewing plays.
‘As the WNBA continues its extraordinary growth, we’re committed to investing in every aspect of the game, including the technology and resources that support players, teams, and officials,’ said Head of WNBA League Operations Bethany Donaphin. ‘Leveraging the NBA’s state-of-the-art Replay Center is an important step in the continued evolution of our game. It allows us to enhance the consistency and efficiency of replay reviews while embracing innovations that strengthen the competition and deliver the best possible experience for all our stakeholders.’
The WNBA Replay Center will be directly connected to every WNBA arena, creating a seamless, high-speed replay workflow between the court and the Replay Center. When a play is eligible for review under WNBA playing rules, broadcast and in-arena camera angles will be transmitted instantaneously to the Replay Center, where replay personnel will identify the most conclusive views and provide them to the officiating crew on the floor. Additional support from replay personnel, WNBA League Operations leadership, and rotating officials will also be available whenever necessary to assist on-court officials throughout the review process.”
The NBA has had a replay center since the 2014-15 season.
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.