WNBA: League expected to expand to Cleveland, revive original Rockers brand

According to Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal, Cleveland soon will be awarded the WNBA’s 16th team, with the league expected to accept a record bid of $250 million headed by Dan Gilbert, owner of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers.

Friend clarifies that Cleveland’s chances of receiving an expansion team are “as high as 90 percent,” with the announcement to come in March, at the latest.

The Cleveland Rockers brand will be revived and the team is slated to debut in 2028, 25 years after the original Rockers folded. The first iteration of the franchise survived six seasons, compiling a 108-112 record and making four playoff appearances. The new Rockers would play in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, while using the training facility currently occupied by the Cavaliers in Independence, OH; the Cavs will move into a new performance center in Cleveland.

Per Madeline Kenney of the New York Post, a WNBA spokesperson declined to confirm Sports Business Journal’s report, releasing a statement that reads, “The WNBA has received formal bids from many interested ownership groups in various markets and we are currently in the process of evaluating these proposals.”

Friend also reports that the WNBA is considering adding a 17th and 18th franchise. Philadelphia, Houston, Nashville, Detroit and Miami are expected to be in contention for the possible, additional franchises, which likely would debut in 2029 or 2030. Overall, 13 cities, including Cleveland, have expressed interest in an expansion team.

Friend further notes that the WNBA recently applied to trademark “Rockers,” in addition to “Comets,” “Shock” and “Sol,” hinting at the league’s interest in pursuing teams in Houston, Detroit and Miami.