WNBA Plans Expansion to 18 Teams Including Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia by 2030

The WNBA is expanding to 18 teams by 2030, with Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia set to join the league, pending approval from the NBA and WNBA Board of Governors. Cleveland will begin play in 2028, Detroit in 2029, and Philadelphia the following year, while Toronto and Portland will join next season. Each new team has NBA ownership groups and has paid a $250 million expansion fee, with plans to invest in facilities and infrastructure. Detroit's new franchise revives the legacy of the Detroit Shock, a successful WNBA team that played from 1998 to 2009 before relocating; the trademark for the Detroit Shock was recently re-registered by the WNBA. The Detroit ownership group includes prominent figures such as Pistons owner Tom Gores, Detroit Lions owners Sheila Ford Hamp and Jared Goff, former Pistons stars Grant Hill and Chris Webber, and General Motors CEO Mary Barra. While the new Detroit team’s name is yet to be decided, there is speculation it may honor the Detroit Shock heritage.