How will the NBA and WNBA coexist with their seasons overlapping in the longer term?

The Washington Wizards are continuing their season this summer with at least eight more games before the playoffs formally begin. But for the first time ever, their season will also overlap the Washington Mystics’ as they look to defend their 2019 WNBA championship.

This is the first time that I can remember when the Wizards’ and Mystics’ seasons directly overlapped each other. There were times when the Wizards’ playoff runs overlapped the Mystics’ preseason and vice versa. But we haven’t seen a significant overlap yet.

This season, the NBA season is stretching into the fall in large part due to the coronavirus pandemic. Barring an unforeseen change, the next NBA season will start in December. The current WNBA season is delayed, but future seasons are likely to stay in the general timeframe.

With that being said, this current overlap isn’t just a one-time thing. The teams are going to see their season overlap each other for the foreseeable future. That raises a question from me.

While our site will cover the games, there will be increased competition for the Wizards’ and Mystics’ attention. In the short term, I can see the Mystics holding their own or even thriving, even if the Wizards’ regular season overlaps theirs significantly. That’s because the Mystics are defending WNBA champions and figure to contend for at least one more this season.

However, the Mystics’ championship window probably won’t be very long. The Wizards could also improve significantly over the next several years. That could flip the narrative around the teams rather quickly. So, the Mystics could realistically “lose” over the next several years as well.

How do you see the fan atmosphere around the Wizards and Mystics, not just this year, but in the long term as the NBA’s season begins to fall go into the summer months? Let us know in the comments below.