WNBA To Expand Into Cleveland, Detroit And Philadelphia
By: Joshua Martin
As the league continues to grow in popularity, the league is aiming to expand to 18 teams within the next 5 years. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert described it as a “truly monumental day.”
“These are proud cities with powerful sports legacies, each one rich in basketball tradition. This is a bold step forward as we grow our footprint.”
The WNBA currently has 13 teams and is already expanding to 15 with additional franchises forming in Toronto and Portland after the 2025 season. League Commissioner Cathy Engelbert shared her thoughts on the league’s expansion to Portland following the confirmation back in September 2024.
“As the WNBA builds on a season of unprecedented growth, bringing a team back to Portland is another important step forward. Portland has been an epicenter of the women’s sports movement and is home to a passionate community of basketball fans.”
The Cleveland team will be added first in 2028, followed by the Detroit franchise in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030. Each team will reportedly pay $250 million in franchise fees to join the league.
The city of Cleveland isn’t a stranger to professional women’s hoops. The Cleveland Rockers, one of the WNBA’s original franchises, existed from 1997 to 2003, folding after the owner claimed he couldn’t make the team profitable. The Detroit Shock played from 1998 to 2009, winning three championships before relocating to Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Several cities including Kansas City, St. Louis and Houston submitted bids to be part of the expansion for more than two years. The WNBA selected the markets after analyzing market viability, infrastructure and local support.
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