ST. LOUIS – St. Louis’ own NBA star, Jayson Tatum, is part of a bid for a St. Louis Women’s National Basketball Association expansion team.
According to a Jacob Feldman Sporitico article, the Chaminade alum has informally agreed to invest in the team if the St. Louis bid is selected. A change in the 2023 April NBA collective bargaining agreement allows players to own up to 4% of a WNBA franchise.
While there is not a documented structure for the bid, a prospective ownership group is co-led by billionaires Richard Chaifetz and David Hoffman. Chaifetz has previously been involved in bids for MLB, NBA, and NFL teams and successfully invested in the Alpine F1 team, Major League Pickleball, and the Drone Racing League. Hoffman, a real estate developer, entrepreneur and Missouri native, owns the Florida Everblades, a St. Louis Blues minor league affiliate.
A potential playing site would be the Chaifetz Arena, where St. Louis University’s basketball teams play. Chaifetz donated $12 million to SLU, his alma mater, in 2007 which netted him the naming rights.
St. Louis is the 24th largest market. Other large markets, including Denver, Miami, Philadelphia, and Milwaukee are, reportedly potential suitors for a WNBA team.
