WNBA Announces Expansion to Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia in Strategic Push for Long-Term Growth

The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) confirmed plans to add three new teams to its league, marking a significant step in the league’s ongoing growth strategy. The new franchises will launch in Cleveland in 2028, Detroit in 2029, and Philadelphia in 2030, expanding the league’s presence and reintroducing WNBA basketball to two historic markets.

The announcement was made at the NBA headquarters in New York City, where executives from the incoming franchises celebrated the league’s latest expansion. Cleveland’s Rock Entertainment CEO Nic Barlage, Detroit’s Vice Chairman of Palace Sports & Entertainment Arn Tellem, and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment co-founder Josh Harris participated in the event, highlighting the community and economic significance of the move.

Cleveland and Detroit are both reclaiming their places in the league—Cleveland’s Rockers ceased operations in 2003, while the Detroit Shock folded in 2009. Philadelphia, meanwhile, will host a WNBA team for the first time in the league’s history.

Woman with basketballs | Source: Pexels

“The WNBA’s return to Cleveland is a win for not only our city, but for the great state of Ohio,” said Barlage. “We can’t wait to be a beacon of hope and aspiration for all the girls and women that look up to the players in the WNBA.”

Tellem emphasized the cultural impact of the sport: “This is a huge win for our city. Basketball is a unifying sport. It brings people together – more than ever in our world today.” Josh Harris added: “Philadelphia, the W is coming, let’s go!”

Behind the celebrations, the expansion reflects a calculated investment approach by the league and its owners. WNBA teams remain largely unprofitable, with most franchises operating at a loss. According to Forbes, the Indiana Fever led the league in 2024 with $32 million in revenue, while the Atlanta Dream generated just $11 million. By contrast, NBA teams like the Golden State Warriors brought in an estimated $781 million in revenue during the same period.

The economic strategy underpinning WNBA ownership is less about immediate returns and more about long-term equity appreciation. Investors are banking on increased valuations through future sales, private equity stakes, and growing commercial interest.

Women with basketballs | Source: Pexels

“When you look at the trajectory of women’s professional basketball in the United States right now, it’s going through the roof,” Barlage said. “We only see this thing going one direction, which is hockey stick-like growth.”

Harris echoed that sentiment, calling it “an extensional moment in women’s sports,” and noting that “we’re at the beginning of a long-term trend.”

Each of the new teams paid a record $250 million expansion fee to join the league. In return, they gain access to growing media visibility and an evolving talent pool. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert pointed to the WNBA’s recently signed media rights deal, which is reportedly six times larger than the previous agreement, as evidence of the league’s strengthening business model.

Despite relatively modest revenues today, Engelbert remained confident in the league’s financial trajectory. “We were just surviving 5, 6 years ago. We’re now thriving,” she said. Regarding the upcoming collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which will likely see players push for higher salaries and expanded rosters, she added, “I’m confident that we’ll work through it with the players and do something transformative.”

Woman with a basketball | Source: Pexels

While cities like Nashville, Austin, and St. Louis also submitted bids, the league favored applicants with existing infrastructure and ownership groups tied to NBA teams. The selections reflect a growing trend in professional sports, where conglomerates like Fenway Sports Group and Kroenke Sports & Entertainment continue to consolidate assets across leagues.

With financial backing from established sports empires and an eye toward equity growth, the WNBA’s newest franchises represent a bet on the future—one driven not by current profit margins, but by the promise of a surging women’s sports landscape.