February 14, 2025
Locked On Women’s Basketball: WNBA expansion, Unrivaled updates
By The Next
Which cities have the best shot at landing a WNBA expansion franchise?
On Friday’s episode of Locked on Women’s Basketball, host Jackie Powell is joined by Ben Pickman of The Athletic to break down some of The Athletic’s latest reporting about the cities and ownership groups in the running for the WNBA’s highly coveted 16th team. Has this ever happened before and why now are we hearing about all of these potential ownership groups? Which cities have the best shot at landing an expansion franchise according to recent history?
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The race for the WNBA’s 16th franchise has led to a surge in expansion bids. As reported by The Athletic, the deadline for submissions was January 30, which triggered a wave of announcements from cities like Nashville, Detroit and Austin. “There are more than 10 bids that the WNBA received for this 16th team,” Pickman noted, highlighting the overwhelming interest. Notable groups include NBA-backed teams from Detroit and Cleveland, as well as independent bids from Denver and Austin, showing a wide range of potential ownership models.
A key aspect of this bidding process is the varied nature of the proposals, with some cities already going beyond the basics. For instance, the Nashville group has already chosen a team name, a step ahead of the typical expansion procedure. Bids include a mix of NBA-affiliated ownerships and independent investors, such as the Kansas City group led by the co-owners of the NWSL’s Kansas City Current, including Brittany Mahomes.
Looking ahead, the WNBA’s selection process for the new franchise will focus on several factors, such as the proposed team’s arena, practice facilities, ownership commitment and the city’s market demographics. Historically, ties to the NBA have been crucial, with recent expansions like Golden State, Portland and Toronto all involving NBA-affiliated ownership. According to Pickman, “Money talks in this conversation,” suggesting the NBA connection may play a significant role in determining the 16th team.
Later, Jackie and Ben shift over to discuss the final four players that remain in Unrivaled’s 1 on 1 Tournament. Can UConn alumnae Aaliyah Edwards and Azurá Stevens pull off major upsets or will league founder Napheesa Collier and perennial WNBA All-Star Arike Ogunbowale have something to say about that?
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Here at The Next, in addition to the 24/7/365 written content our staff provides, we also host the daily Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast. Join us Monday through Saturday each week as we discuss all things WNBA, collegiate basketball, basketball history and much more. Listen wherever you find podcasts or watch on YouTube.
