A Cleveland WNBA Team Could Be Next
The Cleveland Cavaliers are off to their best start in franchise history, at 15-1. Being the best team in the NBA may not be enough for the city or the organization. Reports are now coming out, that Cavaliers ownership is interested in bringing a WNBA team to Cleveland in 2028.
The Golden State Valkyries will join the league this coming summer, and in subsequent years, will be joined by Portland and Toronto franchises. The race for the next spot has been intense. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, and partial Royals owner, Patrick Mahomes would like the 2028 team to be from KC. Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics is trying to get the team to St Louis.
Neither athlete has the basketball resources and infrastructure that Cleveland does. Rocket Mortgage Arena is already home to an NBA team and hosted the 2024 Women's Final Four (which sold out every game). It also played home to the 2021 NFL Draft and the 2022 NBA All-Star game.
Cleveland is a sports-rich city, and Rock Equipment Group, headed by Dan Gilbert, is a money-rich entity. Their net worth is north of 25 times the combined contracts most recently signed by Tatum and Mahomes. With $200 million being the starting price for a 2028 WNBA franchise, no player or group of players will be able to compete against REG financially.
Cleveland had a WNBA team from 1997 to 2003 when it was the home of the Cleveland Rockers. They went 108-112 and made four playoff appearances. In their final year, they averaged 7,400 fans per game. The Minnesota Lynx averaged 7,074 that same season, so prorated for 2024 AC (After Clark), Cleveland's attendance would be roughly 9,720 per game, good for seventh in the league today.
It would be easy to speculate that with an influx of popularity, continuing to soar over the next four seasons, every team's numbers will go up significantly. With the NCAA talent expected to join the league over the next four seasons, it would not be surprising to see whatever city wins the bid, drawing near sellout crowds every game. A Cleveland WNBA team is highly likely, if not 2028, then down the road, as the league continues to expand.