CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers ownership group is planning to submit a bid to bring a WNBA expansion franchise to Cleveland, 3News has confirmed.
"Rock Entertainment Group is committed to diversifying our platform to provide access to sport and equality on many levels. It has long been woven into our mission to utilize our platform to unite our community in ways that drive equal opportunities across the board. To that end, we are actively pursuing bringing a WNBA expansion team to Cleveland. Cleveland’s vibrant ecosystem of world-class assets, passionate and engaged sports fans, coupled with a culture that has allowed professional sports to thrive, make our Team and city uniquely positioned to provide an ideal home for the W’s next franchise," said Nic Barlage, Cleveland Cavaliers, Rock Entertainment Group and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse CEO in a statement to 3News.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert previously stated that she hopes to have 16 teams in the WNBA by 2028.
"Over the past few years, Cleveland has held some of the most significant sporting events in the world, including the 2021 NFL Draft, the 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend and the most impactful 2024 NCAA Women’s Final Four in the history of the event. This energy and momentum give us the confidence that a WNBA Team will thrive in Northeast Ohio," added Barlage.
It has been a banner year for women's basketball as the WNBA is currently enjoying a surge in popularity. During the 2024 season, which featured star players such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese joining the league, the WNBA had the highest total attendance in 22 years. In addition, 22 telecasts topped at least a million viewers on a host of networks.
Cleveland got a small taste of women's basketball earlier this year when the 2024 NCAA Women's Final Four took place at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Nearly 37,000 people attended the two sold-out sessions, and the championship game drew more viewers than the men's title game.
Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and Destination Cleveland CEO David Gilbert provided the following statement to 3News:
“We’re excited about Rock Entertainment Group’s quest to bring a WNBA team to The Land. This is another example of their commitment to the city’s future. They are an incredible community partner and supporter. Women’s sports is a movement - as we saw in April when Cleveland hosted the 2024 NCAA Women’s Final Four. To have Cleveland back in the game with a professional women’s basketball team - and possibly a women’s soccer team - would be awesome. Locals would embrace the opportunity to support a WNBA team again - and the region would also benefit. A WNBA team would draw visiting fans to Greater Cleveland - just as the Cavs do."
3News also heard from Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb's office. Here is a statement from spokesperson Tyler Sinclair:
"Although we have not been formally made aware of these plans, we know demand for women’s sports has gone up dramatically in recent years with viewership increasing and more sponsorship deals being made. We experienced, firsthand, the economic benefits this brings, especially women’s basketball – with nearly $33 million in direct spend for the Women’s Final Four we hosted earlier this year. At the same time, we also know that women have been historically underrepresented in the entertainment industry; which is why we share the common goal of creating more local opportunities for women here in Cleveland. This is exciting news and we look forward to learning more about it."
If the bid by the Cavs and Rock Entertainment Group is successful, it would mark the second time that the WNBA has had a Cleveland franchise.
The Cleveland Rockers, owned by then-Cavaliers owner Gordon Gund, were one of the WNBA's eight original franchises. The Rockers competed for seven seasons from 1997 to 2003 before Gund pulled out, and the team could not find other local ownership.
Currently, there are 12 WNBA teams broken into two conferences:
Eastern Conference
- Atlanta Dream
- Connecticut Sun
- Chicago Sky
- Indiana Fever
- New York Liberty
- Washington Mystics
Western Conference
- Dallas Wings
- Los Angeles Sparks
- Las Vegas Aces
- Minnesota Lynx
- Phoenix Mercury
- Seattle Storm
By 2026, the WNBA will expand to 15 teams with three new franchises, Golden State, Toronto and Portland, entering the mix.