WNBA announces expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia.

From CNBC: 2025-06-30 13:12:00

In an intense game, Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx secured the win against the New York Liberty in Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Finals at Barclays Center on Oct. 10, 2024.

The WNBA recently announced the addition of three new expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia, expanding the league to 18 teams over the next five years. Each team will pay $250 million in franchise fees to join the league.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert called the expansion a “truly monumental day” for the league, highlighting the rich basketball tradition in the proud cities of Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia.

The league has been looking at the expansion process for over two years, with more than a dozen cities submitting bids. Houston, in particular, is one of the cities the league will continue to monitor for future expansion opportunities.

The new Cleveland team, set to begin play in 2028, marks a transformative day in the city’s sports history according to Nic Barlage, CEO of Rock Entertainment Group.

The Detroit ownership group is led by Tom and Holly Gores, owners of the Detroit Pistons, while the Philadelphia team will be owned by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, with Comcast holding a minority stake.

The Philadelphia team will be owned by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, owner of the Philadelphia 76ers, which includes Josh Harris, David Blitzer, and David Adelman. Comcast holds a minority stake in the team.



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