CLEVELAND — The City of Cleveland is working to bring the WNBA back to Ohio.
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The Cleveland Cavaliers ownership group is actively pursuing the opportunity to bring a WNBA expansion team to Cleveland, as reported by the Associated Press and WKYC in Cleveland.
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Nic Barlage, CEO of the Cavs, Rock Entertainment Group, and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, mentioned, “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.”
If successful, this would be Cleveland’s second WNBA team, following the Cleveland Rockers from 1997 to 2003.
The Associated Press revealed that the WNBA will be adding three expansion teams in the upcoming seasons, with new teams in Golden State, Portland, and Toronto, bringing the total to 15 franchises.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert expressed the league’s goal to add a 16th team by the 2028 season.
In a statement to WKYC, Barlage stated, “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.”
Cleveland successfully hosted this year’s Women’s Final Four at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, drawing sold-out crowds. Barlage believes this success shows that a women’s team would thrive in Northeast Ohio.
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