The WNBA expands to a record 18 teams, adding 3 cities : NPR
The WNBA logo on the ball is seen because it is tilted during the match between the Seattle storm and the Las Vegas Aces last year in Seattle, Washington.
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WNBA mastodon does not slow down.
The Women’s Basketball League announced on Monday that it added three new teams for a record franchise of 18: Cleveland will start playing in 2028, Detroit joined in 2029 and Philadelphia will kick in 2030. The WNBA has 15 existing teams – including the Golden State Valkyries, which started this year and two other extension teams has already added for the next season: Toronto, Toronto, Toronto, Canada and Portland and Portland.
The WNBA announced in a press release that it had selected this trio on the basis of “analysis of the viability of the market, committed long -term property groups, a potential of local, business, media and state support, arena and practice facilities, and community commitment to advance sport, among other factors.”
The expansion occurs in the 29th year of the League, after her best season in which she set records for viewers, attendance and sales of goods. The WNBA was supported by the Caitlin Clark phenomenon, which energized the league and is part of a new harvest of stars, notably Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, Kiki Iriafen and Aneesah Morrow.
“The demand for women’s basketball has never been higher, and we are delighted to welcome Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia to the WNBA family,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. “This historical expansion is a powerful reflection of the extraordinary momentum of our league, the depth of talents through the game and the growing demand for investment in female professional basketball.
In 2002, the League culminated with 16 teams – including de that Detroit and Cleveland. The previous team of Detroit, The Shock, succeeded. He won three WNBA titles (in 2003, 2006 and 2008) before moving to Tulsa, Okla.
WNBA expansion and growth are involved while the league faces labor tensions. The players’ union opposed the current collective agreement to try to obtain higher wages in 2024.
The addition of these three new teams is subject to WNBA and the approval of the councils of the Governors of the NBA.
