Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta: ‘It’s time to bring the WNBA back to Houston’

In a new statement at the Houston ChronicleRockets owner Tilman Fertitta reiterates it his strong desire to bring in a WNBA expansion franchise.

“The Houston Comets helped put the WNBA on the map and the city of Houston deserves the chance to once again show what a tremendous place it has for women’s basketball,” Fertitta said. via Danielle Lerner. “We still proudly display the Comets championship banners and retired jerseys at the Toyota Center. It’s been far too long; it’s time to bring the WNBA back to Houston.

From 1997 to 2008, Houston was home to the now-shuttered Comets. Led by iconic names such as Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson, the Comets won the league’s first four titles in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000. But fan interest gradually waned as the team lost relevance in the years that followed. and this ultimately led to the disbandment of the franchise in the late 2000s.

In recent years, however, interest in women’s basketball has grown across the United States, with young stars such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese helping to spark a new wave of fandom. This resurgent fan interest led to an economic improvement in the sport and the league, which led to increased interest in the expansion of the WNBA and the creation of new franchises.

At a recent Rockets home game, Fertitta brought Cooper, Thompson and former head coach Van Chancellor into his suite to discuss the bid. By Lernerall responded with unbridled enthusiasm and support.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has said she wants to add a 16th team before 2028, and Houston is one of several markets vying for that spot. Fertitta is leading Houston’s bid, which is expected to be boosted by the city’s large population (the fourth largest in the United States) and availability of recently renovated Toyota Center as home arena and a newly constructed practice center.

In addition to the arena and a state-of-the-art training complex, the Rockets hold jointly their own regional sports television channel on Space City Home Network, which would be a natural fit for broadcasting WNBA games during the NBA offseason. So, unlike some other offerings, Houston has a ready-made infrastructure to immediately support a new team.

The precise timeline for a decision by the WNBA is not yet clear.

More: Rockets Owner Tilman Fertitta Updates Potential NHL, WNBA Interest

This article was originally published on Rockets Wire: Tilman Fertitta: “It’s time to bring the WNBA back to Houston”