CHICAGO — In a stunning development that could permanently alter the landscape of women’s professional basketball, multiple league insiders have revealed that the NBA is quietly advancing a proposal to merge ownership stakes between NBA and WNBA franchises located in the same city — with the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Sky reportedly at the center of the plan.
According to documents leaked to Front Office Sports, the proposal — internally referred to as “Project Unity” — is designed to “stabilize financial operations” and “align brand strategies” between the NBA and WNBA. Sources say the move has gained traction in recent months amid concerns about sponsorship volatility, uneven market growth, and widening disparities in team valuations across the women’s league.
Under the proposed model, the Chicago Bulls’ ownership group, led by Jerry Reinsdorf, would acquire a significant minority stake — estimated between 25% and 40% — in the Chicago Sky, effectively creating a shared operational ecosystem between the two franchises.
The partnership would reportedly include joint marketing, analytics departments, and cross-league youth development programs, marking the first large-scale NBA-WNBA ownership integration in league history.
“This isn’t just about money — it’s about control,” one WNBA executive told The Athletic on condition of anonymity. “The NBA wants to bring the women’s league fully under its strategic umbrella. Chicago is the testing ground.”
The news has divided the basketball community. Supporters argue that NBA investment could provide the financial firepower the Sky desperately need after a turbulent season marked by internal discord and declining ticket sales. With access to Bulls facilities, staff, and marketing power, the Sky could see an immediate rise in visibility and competitive infrastructure.
But critics — including former players and some front-office insiders — warn that such a merger could erode the WNBA’s independence, reducing its teams to “subsidiaries” of their NBA counterparts.
“It’s a slippery slope,” said one retired WNBA veteran. “If the Bulls take over Sky operations, what’s next? The Lakers owning the Sparks? The Celtics absorbing the Sun?”
Fans have also reacted with mixed emotions. Online forums are flooded with debate, with some welcoming the idea of financial stability, while others call it “the death of the Sky’s identity.”
League officials have yet to comment publicly, but internal memos reviewed by Axios Sports suggest the NBA Board of Governors could discuss the proposal as early as December 2025. If approved, Chicago would serve as the pilot city for a broader NBA-WNBA partnership framework, potentially expanding to New York, Dallas, and Los Angeles by 2027.
Behind the scenes, sources close to the Sky organization describe “tense” meetings between current ownership and league representatives. One insider said, “The Sky don’t want to sell — but the financial pressure is real. The NBA knows that.”
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