Cleveland is expected to be awarded a WNBA expansion franchise for the 2028 season. The team will play at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, home of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. A bid worth a league-record $250 million has given Cleveland an 90% chance of securing the expansion team.
The city is not the only one vying for an expansion spot. Philadelphia, Houston, Nashville, Detroit, and Miami are also contenders. Toronto and Portland will join the WNBA in 2026, with teams set to begin playing next year.
Cleveland’s bid is twice that of Toronto and Portland, which paid $125 million each. The city has a strong ownership group, led by Tilman Fertitta, who recently built a state-of-the-art practice facility for the Houston Rockets.
The WNBA may also expand beyond Cleveland with two additional teams joining the league in the next two years. Former franchise names such as the Houston Comets and Miami Sol have been trademarked, potentially indicating preferences but could also be nods to established brands.
Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/cleveland-expected-to-be-awarded-next-wnba-expansion-franchise-report-224003790.html