The WNBA announced today that three cities have been awarded expansion teams: Cleveland in 2028, Detroit in 2029, and Philadelphia in 2030. The addition of these new clubs will bring the league’s team total to 18, the most in its history.
Cleveland and Detroit will play in their existing NBA arenas, while Philadelphia’s ownership has announced plans to build a new, custom-built arena for its expansion team.
The news comes as the WNBA has undertaken efforts to grow its brand considerably over the past several years. Portland was awarded an expansion team in September 2024 which will begin play in 2026. The San Francisco Bay area received an expansion team in September 2023, with the Golden State Valkyries beginning their inaugural season this year.
Cleveland 2028
Some might not remember that Cleveland was an original member of the WNBA when it launched in 1997, debuting as the Rockers. But the team ceased operations in 2003 when its ownership group no longer wanted to operate them, and a new owner couldn’t be found.
But that was then, and plenty has changed. But what will be the same is that the team will share an arena – and an ownership group – with the parent company of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Rock Entertainment Group.
If you are interested in purchasing season tickets, a deposit form is now available from the team. The deposit is only $28 per ticket, although it isn’t specified if that deposit is refundable or applicable to a future purchase.
Detroit 2029
Like Cleveland, Detroit also is getting a team back after a long hiatus. The Detroit Shock started playing in 1998, and won titles in 2006 and 2008, while also getting to the finals in 2007. For history buffs, the team was coached by Bill Lambeer, who played for the Detroit Pistons. The team was obviously successful, but in 2010 the team was sold and relocated to Tulsa after the owner, Bill Davidson, passed away. The Tulsa Shock played until 2015, when it relocated to Dallas to become the Wings in 2016.
The team will play at Little Caesars Arena, and will be owned by Tom and Holly Gores, owners of the Detroit Pistons.
There is no season ticket deposit/waitlist yet, but you can sign up for the team’s email list here.
Philadelphia 2030
Philadelphia will be a new entrant to the league, having never had a team. It will be owned by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the same entity that owns the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils, and Washington Commanders.
The team is expected to play at the new arena being built for the Sixers and Flyers, which is scheduled to be completed in 2031. There’s some hope that the arena will be completed a year earlier to coincide with the launch of the WNBA team, but if not, the team will play at the current Wells Fargo Center.
There’s no season ticket deposit/waitlist yet, but you can sign up for the team’s email list here.
Bottom line
It’s great news for these three teams, as the WNBA has exploded in popularity and these franchises are now highly sought after. It’s not so great news for Miami, Charlotte, Denver, Nashville, and Houston, who applied for franchises but didn’t get one. Time will tell if more expansion is on the horizon for the league, but for the moment, fans in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philly can get ready for some women’s professional basketball.
