The WNBA announced on Monday (June 30) that it will expand the league into Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia over the next five years— growing the league to 18 teams in total.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert described it as a “truly monumental day” for the league.
“These are proud cities with powerful sports legacies, each one rich in basketball tradition,” she stated, according to CNBC. “This is a bold step forward as we grow our footprint.”
Nic Barlage, CEO of the Rock Entertainment Group, which owns the Cleveland Cavaliers and other professional sports teams in the city, considered the move to be “transformative.” Arn Tellem, the vice chairman of the Detroit Pistons basketball franchise, called it a “huge win for our city” while Josh Harris, co-founder and managing partner of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) that owns the Philadelphia 76ers, said bringing the WNBA to Philly “wasn’t just a nice-to-have, it was an obligation.”
The WNBA currently has 13 teams and already announced expanding franchises in Toronto and Portland, with the latter set to join in 2026.
“As the WNBA builds on a season of unprecedented growth, bringing a team back to Portland is another important step forward,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert back in September 2024 following the confirmation. “Portland has been an epicenter of the women’s sports movement and is home to a passionate community of basketball fans.”
Cleveland Rockers play against the Los Angeles Sparks at Staples Center in June 2001
Lisa Blumenfeld/ALLSPORT
The Cleveland team will be launched first in 2028, followed by Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030. Per an anonymous source, each team will reportedly pay $250 million in franchise fees to join the league— marking a “historic high for the WNBA.”
This, however, isn’t Cleveland’s first foray into women’s basketball. The city hosted one of the WNBA’s original franchises, the Cleveland Rockers from 1997 to 2003. The team folded after seven seasons when the team’s owner, Gordon Gund, claimed he couldn’t find a way to make them profitable. The Detroit Shock played from 1998 until 2009— setting records and winning three championships before being moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma.
(L-R) Ruth Riley #00, Cheryl Ford #35, Swin Cash #32, Deanna Nolan #14 and Barbara Ferris #54 of the Detroit Shock celebrate winning the 2003 WNBA Finals
Tom Pidgeon/Getty Images
Several cities including Kansas City, St. Louis, Austin, Houston, Miami, Denver, and Charlotte, 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.”
Engelbert specifically mentioned that Houston could be the next city that the league would expand into.
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