WNBA Expanding To Cleveland, Detroit, & Philly
Written by Tariq on July 1, 2025
The WNBA announced on Monday (June 30) that it will expand the league into Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia over the next five years— growing the league to 18 teams in total. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert described it as a “truly monumental day” for the league. “These are proud cities with powerful sports legacies, each one rich in basketball tradition,” she stated, according to CNBC. “This is a bold step forward as we grow our footprint.” Nic Barlage, CEO of the Rock Entertainment Group, which owns the Cleveland Cavaliers and other professional sports teams in the city, considered the move to be “transformative.” Arn Tellem, the vice chairman of the Detroit Pistons basketball franchise, called it a “huge win for our city” while Josh Harris, co-founder and managing partner of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) that owns the Philadelphia 76ers, said bringing the WNBA to Philly “wasn’t just a nice-to-have, it was an obligation.”
🚨HISTORIC MOMENT ALERT🚨
The W is leveling UP — three new teams, three new cities, one unstoppable future. ⭐
Say hello to our newest expansion teams:
🟣 @clevelandwnba – coming 2028
🔵 @DetroitWNBA – coming 2029
🔴 @philawnba – coming 2030New energy. New legacies. New era.… pic.twitter.com/6ZXaHPxkEw
— WNBA (@WNBA) June 30, 2025
The WNBA currently has 13 teams and already announced expanding franchises in Toronto and Portland, with the latter set to join in 2026.
Source: Vibe
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