In a big step forward, women's pro basketball will add teams in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia by 2030. Each ownership group paid $250 million to join the league, which will grow to 18 teams.
"The demand for women's basketball has never been higher... This historic expansion is a powerful reflection of our league's extraordinary momentum," said Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to Sports Illustrated.
The huge price shows how much things have changed. Just last year, the Golden State Valkyries joined the league for just $50 million - way less than what teams are paying now.
The teams will start playing in different years. Cleveland kicks off in 2028, with Detroit coming in 2029. Philadelphia rounds out the expansion in 2030. These new teams follow Golden State, Toronto, and Portland, who join between 2025 and 2026.
For two of these cities, this isn't their first time with pro women's basketball. Cleveland had the Rockers from 1997 to 2003, who made it far in the playoffs in '98. The Detroit Shock won three championships before moving to Tulsa.
The new teams will play in NBA arenas. Cleveland will use Rocket Arena and Detroit will play at Little Caesars Arena, while Philadelphia plans to build new facilities.
Not everyone got picked. Austin, Charlotte, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, Nashville, and St. Louis all tried to get teams but weren't chosen.
While Philadelphia gets its first WNBA team, the city has seen women's pro basketball before. In the 90s, they had the Philadelphia Rage in the American Basketball League, which didn't last long.
The big money teams are paying now really shows how much the WNBA has grown. When it all started, teams paid nowhere near what they're paying today.
Cleveland and Detroit haven't said yet if they'll bring back their old team names. Both cities had great fan support before money problems forced their teams to leave.
