The WNBA Expands: Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia Join the League
The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) continues its growth, with plans to expand to 18 teams in the next five years. Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia will join the league by the year 2030, marking a milestone in the history of women’s basketball. Cleveland will begin its participation in 2028, followed by Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in the following season, as long as it is approved by the NBA and WNBA Board of Governors. Toronto and Portland will join the league next year.The three new teams, recently announced, will have NBA-owned ownership groups. Each has paid an expansion fee of $250 million. In addition, significant sums will be invested in the construction of training facilities and other improvements. Nic Barlage, CEO of Rock Entertainment Group and the Cleveland Cavaliers, highlighted the synergy of this expansion: “It’s a natural fit, especially if you have the desire to grow like us.” Both Cleveland and Detroit have had teams in the WNBA in the past, and Philadelphia hosted an ABL team.“The demand for women’s basketball has never been higher, and we are thrilled to welcome Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia to the WNBA family. This historic expansion is a powerful reflection of our league’s extraordinary momentum, the depth of talent in the game, and the growing demand for investment in professional women’s basketball,” commented Cathy Engelbert, WNBA Commissioner.
Cathy Engelbert, WNBA Commissioner
Grant Hill, Chris Webber, and Jared Goff, Detroit sports figures, will have minority stakes in the team. The ownership groups of Cleveland and Detroit have mentioned that they will consider the names Rockers and Shock, which were the names of the previous teams, but they will take their time to decide the identity of the franchise. The Detroit and Cleveland teams will play in existing NBA arenas, while Philadelphia plans to build a new stadium that is expected to be completed by 2030 or 2031. The incorporation of these three teams will generate natural rivalries in the league, with teams on the east coast and the proximity of Detroit and Cleveland. Arn Tellem, vice president of the Detroit Pistons, anticipates the potential of these rivalries: “I would love to have a rivalry like the one we have in the NBA with Cleveland and Indiana, Philadelphia and New York.” Engelbert highlighted the large number of cities interested in expansion, including St. Louis, Kansas City, Austin, Nashville, Houston, Miami, Denver, and Charlotte. She mentioned the interest in Houston, which had the Houston Comets, winners of the first four WNBA championships. Engelbert explained that the expansion will be distributed over several years so as not to dilute talent. Key performance indicators, such as attendance, television audiences, and sponsorships, have been on the rise in recent seasons. Barlage highlighted the impact on the community and the growth of the women’s segment in the Cavaliers’ youth academy.“This is a great triumph for Detroit and the WNBA. Today marks the long-awaited return of the WNBA to a city with deep roots in basketball and a tradition of championships,” expressed Tom Gores, owner of the Pistons.
Tom Gores, owner of the Pistons
