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WNBA announces three new teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia
UNITED STATES, JUN 30 – The WNBA will add three franchises with NBA ownership and $250 million fees each, expanding to 18 teams by 2030 amid rising attendance and media deals, officials said.
- The WNBA announced on June 30, 2025, that Cleveland will host its 16th franchise, starting play in 2028 at Rocket Arena downtown.
- This expansion follows a growing demand for women's basketball and continued support from NBA ownership groups, which led to awarding teams to Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia.
- Cleveland previously hosted one of the WNBA's founding teams, the Rockers, who competed from the league's inaugural season until 2003 before folding due to low attendance; Detroit and Philadelphia also have histories of women's professional basketball teams.
- Cleveland and Detroit will continue to utilize their current NBA venues, whereas Philadelphia intends to construct a new arena targeting completion by 2030. Each franchise is contributing an expansion fee of $250 million, which is approximately quintuple the amount Golden State paid for its team several years ago.
- This expansion will raise the league to 18 teams, fostering regional rivalries and economic, cultural, and community benefits for the cities involved, signaling a milestone in women's professional basketball.
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320 Articles
How the Cavs and Dan Gilbert will help Cleveland’s WNBA team thrive in 2028
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland sports fans received exciting news Monday as the WNBA announced it will return to the city for the 2028 season, marking a quarter-century since the Rockers departed.
Sophie Cunningham no fan of WNBA expansion in Cleveland, Detroit
MINNEAPOLIS — On Monday, the WNBA announced its plans to add three more expansion teams by 2030. On Tuesday, a prominent player questioned the league’s choice of markets. READ: WNBA expanding to Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia Indiana guard Sophie Cunningham raised her concerns during the shootaround before the Fever’s 74-59 victory over the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final. The league already had plans to add franchises in T…
Sophie Cunningham Isn't Too Fired Up About Some WNBA Expansion Cities, Detroit Fires Back
The WNBA is riding a wave of Caitlin Clark-fueled attention (although they'd probably deny that was the reason) that has led to another batch of expansion cities being announced; however, Clark's teammate and designated enforcer, Sophie Cunningham, isn't too excited about some of them.This week, the league announced that it will be adding teams in three new cities — Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia by the year 2030. This round of expansion, …
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