Sources: WNBA drawing legitimate bidders for next expansion franchise
The WNBA has 12 to 15 legitimate bidders for its next expansion franchise, sources said today, from a pool of prospective cities or regions that include Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Austin, Kansas City, Miami, Central Florida, Nashville, Charlotte, Denver and potentially Cleveland.
On the same day Portland was awarded the league’s 15th franchise for a record price of $125M, sources said several of the starting bids for the ensuing 16th team -- expected to begin play in either the 2027 or 2028 season -- have risen as high as $200M to $250M. Several of those bidders are current NBA owners, consistent with a burgeoning belief that the league office now prefers WNBA ownership groups with ties to the NBA.
The Portland franchise, which begins play in the 2026 season, is owned by Sacramento Kings minority partners Alex Bhathal and Lisa Bhathal Merage, while the Golden State Valkyries and the new Toronto expansion franchises also have owners tied to the NBA. The reason, according to sources, is they have the infrastructure in place, as well as know-how, to handle the rising popularity, media scrutiny and valuations of the league.
There is no timeline for a decision on the next WNBA expansion franchise, and, although Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has said they will cap expansion at 16 teams for now, sources said not to rule out a possibility of expanding to 18 or more teams later in the decade.
https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/09/18/wnba-expansion-franchise-portland