CLEVELAND, Ohio — On the latest Wine and Gold Talk podcast, host Ethan Sands delivered a passionate, forward-thinking argument about the next chapter in professional basketball — one where every NBA team is paired with a WNBA franchise, and Cleveland finds itself at the center of the movement.
“I think every NBA team should have a WNBA team \[counterpart\],” Sands said. “There should be more expansion when it comes to the WNBA, and more support from the NBA to help the league grow.”
That support, as he explained, goes far beyond symbolic gestures.
It’s about infrastructure, resources, proximity, and a shared vision for growing the game at every level. And few cities are better positioned to benefit from that model than Cleveland — which could soon welcome back the WNBA’s Rockers after more than two decades.
“If we talk about expansion, we talk about the city of Cleveland, trying to gain a WNBA team,” Sands said. “The Cleveland Rockers, trying to get those women back over here. I think that’s a good thing for the city. You got the Guardians, you got the Browns, you got the Rockers, and you got the Cleveland Cavaliers. I think that’s a good city feeling.”
The idea isn’t just hopeful — it’s increasingly realistic.
In February, _Sports Business Journal_ reported that Cleveland is expected to be one of the next cities to join the WNBA, with the original Rockers moniker likely returning in 2028.
Rock Entertainment Group has already submitted a $250 million bid, and sources say there’s a 90% chance the bid is successful. The team would play at Rocket Arena, where the Cavs and Monsters already call home.
Sands pointed to the NBA’s rising role in elevating the women’s game, noting examples like Tyrese Haliburton making a “concerted effort to go watch Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.”
Cleveland.com’s Jimmy Watkins added that NBA players are among the W’s most visible supporters. “NBA players are the biggest backers of the WNBA, especially when it comes to using their platforms,” he said on the podcast.
The benefits of NBA-WNBA partnerships are already playing out in markets like Washington, where the Wizards and Mystics share not just a building, but a sense of purpose.
Sands believes that kind of synergy could take hold across the country.
“I’m not necessarily saying the teams have to be in the same city,” he explained, “but if they’re within an hour of each other, I feel like that would make the most sense.”
With the WNBA continuing to set new records for viewership, expansion is inevitable — and cities like Cleveland are poised to be a part of the league’s next wave.
Following the Golden State Valkyries’ $50 million entry this year, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire are joining soon, with Houston likely not far behind.
But Sands believes Cleveland’s moment is coming.
“If you have these teams around, you have these organizations, this league that is capable of supporting, that’s the easiest way to help one another,” he continued. “Because these women are becoming stars.”
For Cavs fans and the city of Cleveland, it’s more than a nostalgic return of the Rockers — it’s a chance to complete the basketball circle and be part of something much bigger.
Here’s the podcast for this week:
_Note: Artificial intelligence was used to help generate this story from the Cleveland Wine and Gold Talk Podcast by cleveland.com. Visitors to cleveland.com have asked for more text stories based on website podcast discussions._