WNBA to adjust challenge and timeout rules for 2024
GEOFF BURKE / USA TODAY SPORTS / 2023
New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) argues with referee Ryan Sassano (L) after being called for a foul against the Washington Mystics in the third quarter at Entertainment & Sports Arena.
The WNBA will usher in a pair of rule changes for the 2024 season, revising the replay challenge format while also eliminating 20-second timeouts.
Teams will be awarded a second coach’s challenge if the first one is successful. In a continuation of the previous rule, teams still will need to have a timeout to initiate a replay challenge.
Challenges are limited to a foul call, an out-of-bounds violation, goaltending or basket interference.
Teams will now have five “team” timeouts and one “reset” timeout, in a change from four full team timeouts and two 20-second timeouts in previous seasons. A reset timeout allows teams to advance the ball and make substitutions but not huddle with coaches.
Teams can use a reset timeout in the final two minutes of regulation or overtime.
