WNBA players call foul over early surge in penalties

An early surge in foul calls has roiled the WNBA as referees tighten enforcement of a new emphasis on reducing physicality. Through the season’s first three weeks, officials are averaging more than 43 fouls per game, up sharply from last year’s 35 per game, prompting concern about game flow and entertainment value. Monty McCutchen, head of WNBA officiating, acknowledged the uptick and predicted that early games would feature higher foul totals as crews adjust to the standard set by a renewed officiating task force aimed at improving consistency and player safety.