In the words of the great LeBron James, it’s about damn time.
The WNBA announced Monday that the league will have three new expansion franchise, including one in Philadelphia.
The Philly team will begin play in 2030, which makes perfect sense. Earlier this year, HBSE and Comcast announced they’re working together to get a new arena built with the hopes of jointly owning a WNBA team. That arena, which will replace the Wells Fargo Center/soon-to-be-named Xfinity Mobile Arena, is set to open in 2031.
Before Philly’s team takes the court, other franchise will begin play in Cleveland (2028) and Detroit (2029). WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced the news in a press conference Monday. Per the AP:
“The demand for women’s basketball has never been higher, and we are thrilled to welcome Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia to the WNBA family,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. “This historic expansion is a powerful reflection of our league’s extraordinary momentum, the depth of talent across the game, and the surging demand for investment in women’s professional basketball.”
The article also quotes managing partner Josh Harris, who said the hope is the new arena could be ready for the WNBA team by 2030, but if it’s not, the team will simply play at Xfinity Mobile Arena during its inaugural season.
“We tell the city it’s going to open in 2031. We’re hoping for 2030,” said Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment Managing Partner and co-founder Josh Harris, who owns the 76ers. “So we’re trying to underpromise and overdeliver. But, right now it’s 2031, so that we have a year gap, you know. We’ve got the Xfinity center, the Wells Fargo, they’ll play there.”
The WNBA currently has 13 teams, including the expansion Golden State Valkyries, who began play this season. The league is also set to have new franchises in Toronto and Portland. The Philadelphia team will give the WNBA 18 total teams.
Important question for the comments: what should they name the team?