Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Advanced Business ReportsAdvanced Business Reports

Sports

WNBA reveals locations of 3 new expansion teams in next 5 years

The WNBA has formally announced plans to expand into three new cities by 2030, which will eventually increase the size of the league to 18 teams.

In addition to previously announced expansion clubs coming next year in Portland, Oregon and Toronto, the WNBA revealed June 30 that it will establish new franchises in Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029) and Philadelphia (2030).

“The demand for women’s basketball has never been higher, and we are thrilled to welcome Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia to the WNBA family,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. “This historic expansion is a powerful reflection of our league’s extraordinary momentum, the depth of talent across the game, and the surging demand for investment in women’s professional basketball.’

The expansion plan now goes to the WNBA and NBA Boards of Governors for final approval.

The announcement stages a return of the WNBA to two of the league’s former cities. The Cleveland Rockers played in the league from 1997 to 2003. The Detroit Shock won three league championships during their existence from 1998-2009. The Detroit franchise moved to Tulsa in 2010 and is now the Dallas Wings.

All three new teams will pay an expansion fee of $250 million to the league. That’s a five-fold increase from the $50 million the Golden State Valkyries paid to join the WNBA this season.

3 NBA owners add WNBA franchises

The ownership groups for the three new WNBA teams feature some names familiar to sports fans.

  • Cleveland: The new WNBA franchise will be owned and operated by Rock Entertainment Group, the parent company run by chairman Dan Gilbert that also includes the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers and G-League Cleveland Charge, as well as the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters.
  • Detroit: The controlling owner of the Motor City’s new team is Tom Gores, who also owns the NBA’s Detroit Pistons.
  • Philadelphia: The new team in Philadelphia will be owned and operated by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the same company that owns the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and NHL’s New Jersey Devils. HBSE is led by co-founder Josh Harris, who’s also the controlling owner and managing general partner of the NFL’s Washington Commanders.
This post appeared first on USA TODAY

You May Also Like

World

WELLINGTON – Tens of thousands of New Zealanders rallied before parliament on Tuesday in one of the country’s largest ever protests to oppose a bill that opponents say...

World

SEOUL – South Korea’s Constitutional Court will begin on Monday reviewing the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his Dec. 3 martial law attempt, while investigators said...

World

BRASILIA – Brazil Prosecutor General Paulo Gonet decided not to charge former President Jair Bolsonaro with fraud in his vaccination records, asking the Supreme Court to...

World

SEOUL – South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Wednesday he would lift a surprise martial law declaration he had imposed just hours...

Disclaimer: AdvancedBusinessReports.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

Copyright © 2024 AdvancedBusinessReports.com | All Rights Reserved