The 2026 Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) All-Star celebration will extend beyond the basketball court.
From July 23 through July 25, the league will use several Chicago venues for competitions, fan activities, media events, sponsor activations, and community programs. McCormick Place will host WNBA Live presented by Amazon Web Services (AWS), the league’s interactive fan festival. Meanwhile, the newly opened Obama Presidential Center will host All-Star practice, Media Day, sponsor programming, and activities for young people.
For tradeshow professionals, the weekend offers a clear example of how organizers can expand one major event. Each venue will serve a different purpose.
WNBA Live Brings Fan Activations to McCormick Place
WNBA Live returns for its fifth year at the McCormick Place Lakeside Center. The event will run from 5 to 9 p.m. July 23 and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 24 and July 25.
The league said the fan festival will expand to three days and include 34 WNBA partners and licensees. Programming will feature player and legend appearances, panel discussions, basketball contests, exclusive merchandise, and interactive sponsor experiences.
In addition, the event will connect basketball with music, technology, culture, and the league’s 30-year history.
McCormick Place gives the league and its partners room to create an experience that differs from an arena event. Fans can move among activations, retail areas, courts, stages, and photo opportunities. At the same time, sponsors can build individual environments within the larger WNBA presentation.
The format includes elements often found at consumer shows, sports festivals, merchandise marketplaces, conferences, and experiential marketing events.
Sponsors Build Interactive WNBA All-Star Experiences
Participating brands have planned activities that encourage fans to take part.
Ally will present an arcade-style basketball challenge. American Express will provide an expedited entry lane for eligible card members and operate a shooting experience.
Google Pixel will present a technology-based photo activation. ESPN will invite fans to sit behind a SportsCenter desk and explore 30 years of league storytelling.
Other experiences will include apparel customization, product displays, basketball challenges, giveaways, photo areas, and player appearances.
The WNBA Events App (Google and Apple) will serve as the main digital guide. It will include an interactive map, updated schedules, ticket information, and reminders for player appearances and panel discussions.
As a result, attendees can follow a program with several activities, locations, and appearance times. For event organizers, the app also offers a way to keep information in one place.
“The WNBA is thrilled to bring AT&T WNBA All-Star back to Chicago, which will undoubtedly deliver unforgettable competition and community outreach,” says WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “Together with the Chicago Sky, we look forward to celebrating the game’s brightest stars, engaging WNBA fans around the world, and showcasing the energy of one of basketball’s most iconic cities.”
Chicago previously hosted the WNBA All-Star Game in 2022.
“The Chicago Sky are thrilled to welcome the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game back to Chicago,” says Adam Fox, chief executive officer and president of the Chicago Sky. “We can’t wait to build on the success of the previous All-Star Game and celebrate the explosive growth of the league by showcasing the WNBA’s biggest stars on a world-class stage.”
Obama Presidential Center Hosts WNBA All-Star Programming
The Obama Presidential Center will host several All-Star activities July 24. The WNBA will become the first professional sports league to hold events at the new center.
The schedule will include AT&T WNBA All-Star Media Day and Practice, the third annual WNBA Changemaker Day, and Jr. WNBA Day.
Most activities will take place in Home Court, the Obama Presidential Center’s 60,000-square-foot athletic and events building. The facility includes a WNBA-regulation basketball court and multipurpose rooms for sports, wellness, leadership, and youth programs.
According to the Obama Foundation, the practice will mark the first time a WNBA All-Star practice has taken place at a venue of this kind.
“We are thrilled to welcome the WNBA as our first professional sports league hosted at the Obama Presidential Center,” says Valerie Jarrett, chief executive officer of the Obama Foundation. “At the Center, we believe sports have the power to bring people together and create meaningful opportunities to build the next generation of leaders.”
The programming will bring athletes, coaches, media representatives, league partners, and community participants into the same venue.
The venue choice also reflects the center’s mission. Rather than serving only as an additional basketball court, the Obama Presidential Center will host programs focused on education, leadership, and community engagement.
Community Programs Connect Basketball and Leadership
WNBA Changemaker Day will involve league partners Ally, AT&T, AWS, CarMax, Deloitte, Google, and Nike.
The WNBA is developing the event with the Chicago Sky, Chicago Public Schools, and the Girls Opportunity Alliance, an Obama Foundation initiative.
Jr. WNBA Day will include a basketball fundamentals clinic, panel discussions, a vision-board workshop, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics activities.
The program will connect basketball with leadership and learning opportunities for girls.
The structure also gives sponsors a role beyond signs, advertisements, and hospitality. Partners will take part in workshops, youth programming, sports activities, and community engagement.
Chicago Venues Divide the WNBA All-Star Experience
The main All-Star schedule gives each Chicago venue a specific role.
McCormick Place will host the public WNBA Live fan festival. The Obama Presidential Center will host practice, Media Day, sponsor programs, and community activities.
Wintrust Arena, home of the Chicago Sky, will host the State Farm WNBA 3-Point Contest and Kia WNBA Shooting Stars competition July 24. United Center will host the AT&T WNBA All-Star Game July 25.
This structure places each activity in a venue that fits its announced format and audience.
However, a multi-venue schedule also creates challenges that tradeshow organizers know well. Attendees need clear details about locations, schedules, tickets, and admission requirements. In addition, event communications must connect activities in buildings with different purposes and operating structures.
For the tradeshow industry, WNBA All-Star 2026 is both a sports story and an event-design story.
The basketball game remains the main attraction. Still, the larger program also relies on exhibition space, sponsor participation, mobile information, merchandise, community partnerships, and flexible venues.
The final score will be decided at United Center. The full All-Star experience will unfold across Chicago.
About the venues
McCormick Place is a Chicago convention center with 2.6 million square feet of flexible event space. For more info, visit www.mccormickplace.com.
The Obama Presidential Center is a 19-acre campus in Chicago’s Jackson Park with a museum, public spaces, and facilities for education, athletics, and community programs. For more info, visit www.obama.org.
Wintrust Arena is part of the McCormick Square campus and hosts sports, concerts, and other live events in Chicago. For more info, visit www.wintrustarena.com.
United Center is a sports and entertainment arena located on Chicago’s West Side. For more info, visit www.unitedcenter.com.
The Women’s National Basketball Association is a professional basketball league in North America. For more info, visit www.wnba.com.
