Cleveland could become the future home of a WNBA franchise after a group led by Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert announced plans to submit a proposal for an expansion team.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert wants to have 16 teams by 2028 – the league is currently at 12, but she adds Golden State (2025), Toronto And Portland (2026) over the next two seasons.
Rock Entertainment Group, the company that presents Gilbert’s sports and entertainment properties, is confident that Cleveland can land a WNBA franchise, given the presence of other professional teams in the city like the NBA’s Cavaliers, the Cleveland Browns of the NFL, the MLB’s Cleveland Guardians and the minor league hockey team. Lake Erie Monsters
“We have this unique convergence of infrastructure, culture and these fundamental elements that we believe make Northeast Ohio, and in particular Cleveland, a great opportunity to grow from a WNBA perspective .” Cavaliers CEO Nic Barlage told CNBC.
Last month, Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell expressed interest in being part of a potential Cleveland WNBA franchise.
“I think Cleveland definitely deserves a WNBA team” Mitchell said via Cleveland.com. “It’s high time for Portland and San Francisco to add one.” But Cleveland is a perfect sports city for that. The WNBA is at an all-time high and I love the competition. It’s been like this for a while and I think now people are finally starting to pay attention to it.
“I would love to be a part of it (franchise in Cleveland), of course, if it ever happens. It was great basketball. It has become more national. I feel like us as players, we’ve been there since the beginning. I think it’s great that the world is finally starting to see what we all see.
Cleveland will have competition in its quest to become the 16th team in the WNBA. Denver, Kansas CityMiami, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Philadelphia have expressed interest.
Engelbert said in October that the league was in no rush to award another expansion franchise, but was looking at 2027 or 2028.
“I would say there are 10 to 12 very viable cities that we are evaluating, and we have a process,” said Engelbert. “I would say I don’t have a deadline to name him because it’ll be 2027 or 28, but I think in the next few months we’ll start – now like ‘When we get into the offseason, we’ll start to review which ones will move to the top of the list through our process. “
This would be the second WNBA franchise to play in Cleveland after the Rockers, who were an original franchise in the league that played from 1997 to 2003 before folding after ceasing operations.
