CLEVELAND — Cleveland is eager to make a return to the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). With the growing popularity of women’s professional basketball, Rock Entertainment Group, affiliated with the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, is actively working to secure a WNBA expansion franchise for the city.

Nic Barlage, the CEO of both the Cavaliers and Rock Entertainment Group, expressed the organization’s commitment to fostering community engagement through sports and creating equal opportunities. “It has long been our mission to utilize our platform to unite our community in impactful ways,” he stated. He further emphasized that Cleveland’s rich array of world-class resources, enthusiastic fan base, and a thriving sports culture uniquely position the city as an excellent candidate for the next WNBA franchise.

Cleveland previously hosted a WNBA team known as the Rockers, which played from 1997 until its closure in 2003. In current league developments, the WNBA is on track to introduce three new franchises over the next two seasons, with prospective teams in Golden State, Portland, and Toronto, aiming to expand the league to 15 teams. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has outlined ambitions to see a 16th franchise in place by the 2028 season.

In a related effort, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has announced his involvement in a group seeking to establish a WNBA team in Kansas City. Mahomes already co-owns the Kansas City Current, a team in the National Women’s Soccer League. Alongside Kansas City, cities like St. Louis and Philadelphia are also being considered as potential new homes for WNBA franchises.

Cleveland could have a competitive edge in this expansion race due to its historical ties to women’s basketball and the availability of an NBA-capacity arena. This year, for instance, the city successfully hosted the Women’s Final Four at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, which can accommodate 19,000 spectators. The event saw sell-out crowds, and the surrounding activities attracted large audiences, largely thanks to the presence of star player Caitlin Clark, who led her team to a second-place finish and has since embarked on a professional career, earning the Rookie of the Year title with the Indiana Fever.

Barlage highlighted the success of the Final Four, along with the city’s hosting of the 2021 NFL Draft and 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend, as strong indicators that a WNBA team would flourish in Northeast Ohio.