The WNBA is continuously growing, and that suggests with more eyes on the league, cities will continue their push for growth groups.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert revealed in October that the WNBA is partnering with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors to bring females’s basketball to the Bay Area. Engelbert likewise revealed that the expectation is that there will be 14 WNBA groups by 2025.
Yet, with Wednesday’s unexpected news that a quote for Portland hasactually been “deferred” over possible restoration issues at the Moda Center, all eyes are turning to what future cities may still be excellent prospects for growth.
The WNBA has shelved prepares to bring an growth group to Portland after conversations with regional businessowner Kirk Brown broke down at the 11th hour.
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— The Oregonian (@Oregonian) November 1, 2023
Several other cities might mostlikely discover themselves in a similiar position as Portland, however they are technically still an alternative.
Here are the 6 possible cities still on the WNBA’s growth list:
(Alton Strupp/USA TODAY Network)
As of August 2023, Charlotte, North Carolina, is still on the WNBA’s radar.
The city is extremely familiar with females’s basketball and was when home to the Charlotte Sting, the partner company to the Charlotte Hornets. In 2003, when the Hornets moved to New Orleans, the Sting remained and played at the Charlotte Coliseum till2005 Unfortunately, the group folded in 2007.
Reviving basketball in Charlotte can be done with the right quantity of monetary support and financialinvestment from the city.
(Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports)
As of October 2023, the city of Philadelphia is still under factortoconsider however is at danger of being eliminated due to possible issues over monetary support.
This shows worries in June by Philadelphia 76ers co-owner David Adelman about whether the 76ers, who presently lease Comcast’s Wells Fargo Center, might include a 2nd lease for a WNBA group.
(Andrew Nelles/USA TODAY Network)
In 2021, Nashville’s Convention & Visitors Corp president and CEO Butch Spyridon began the discussion about what it would take to bring a group to the city.
That discussion continued in 2022 when Nashville’s Sports Authority Board commissioned a researchstudy to gauge interest in having a expert ladies’s sports group. The researchstudy revealed that Nashville might be a feasible alternative, however the city would requirement an financier group to cover expenditures and discover a home website for a prospective group.
As of October 2023, Nashville is still being talkedabout.
(Aaron Martinez/USA TODAY Network)
Of the other cities on the WNBA’s list, Austin is the just city that does not have an NBA, NFL, MLB, or NHL franchise, presenting a prime chance for the WNBA to land in the city. The absence of market competitors from other significant sports leagues is a big draw.
Despite not being home to a significant sports franchise, Austin currently has experience with hosting groups. It hosted the MLS Cup in 2021, and the San Antonio Spurs hosted 2 routine season videogames in the city earlier this year. Add in a metropolitanarea of substantial business with roots currently in the city, like Google, Amazon, Meta and Apple, and Austin might be an perfect website for future sponsorships.
As of October 2023, Austin is still in factortoconsider.
(Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)
In May, Toronto held an exhibit videogame inbetween the Minnesota Lynx and Chicago Sky at Scotiabank Arena. It was the highest-attended preseason videogame in WNBA history.
Yet, regardlessof terrific participation numbers and product sales, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the arena, thinkstwice to have videogames at Scotiabank. According to Sarah Spain of ESPN, the ownership group doesn’t desire to offer up the income it gets from other occasions.
Toronto is still on the WNBA’s list however might possibly notify the league in the near future that it prepares to withdraw its pursuit of a group.
(Aaron Martinez/USA TODAY Network)
In August, Commissioner Englebert checkedout Denver and held anumberof conferences with a group looking to own a WNBA Franchise.
However, per 9News, the WNBA has not been in contact with the ownership ground because that time. The league was dissatisfied about the concept of a brand-new group playing at Magness Arena, which the University o