The WNBA will officially expand to 15 teams with the announcement of a franchise in Portland. As the league looks to add a 16th team by 2028, Philly could be next.
The WNBA will officially expand to Portland.
It was announced Wednesday that the city was awarded the league’s 15th franchise, joining Toronto as expansion teams for the 2026 season.
The @WNBA‘s 15th team calls the Rose City home.
#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/7Qqf0igffW
— WNBA Portland (@wnbaportland) September 18, 2024
This comes after the WNBA announced the addition of the Golden State Valkyries last year. The league’s 13th team will begin play during the 2025 season.
So, now with an odd number of franchises, it seems clear the league will look to add a 16th team. Could Philly be next? Back in April, WNBA Commissioner Kathy Engelbert said the plan would be to add another team by 2028 — with Philly being mentioned as a candidate.
Expansion:
Plan and goal is to get to 16 teams in the next few years. Talking to a lot of diff cities, Engelbert says. Philly, Toronto, Portland, Nashville, south Florida (Miami I believe she was referring to).
Engelbert says this expansion will add 48 roster spots.
— Annie Costabile (@AnnieCostabile) April 15, 2024
There’s no doubt a WNBA team in Philly would do well. It’s a major market and a basketball city. Looking around the league, players like Kahleah Copper and Natasha Cloud — both of the Phoenix Mercury — are locals who have thrived. Another local in South Jersey’s Hannah Hidalgo, who had a historic freshman season at Notre Dame, could be eligible for the WNBA Draft in time for a homecoming if the city and league can get things together before 2028.
What complicates matters is the standoff between the Sixers, Flyers and the city when it comes to a new arena being built. There will be questions surrounding who would ultimately bid to own the team and where they would play. With the league proving to be successful, there should be no shortage of bidders, including HBSE. Finding a suitable venue would seem to be the bigger obstacle.
Maybe the Flyers and Comcast simply get another tenant for the Wells Fargo Center. While some WNBA teams play at local NBA arenas, several others play in smaller venues. The two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces, for example, play at Michelob Ultra Arena, which seats roughly 12,000. Not that places like the Liacouras Center (10,206 capacity) or The Palestra (8,700) would be the top choices for a new WNBA franchise in Philly, but it’s doable. (There would be something kind of cool about a historic place like The Palestra hosting games, admittedly.)
The hope here is those involved see the upside of what a WNBA team in Philadelphia could mean — for local women’s professional sports, for the basketball culture of the city, and, of course, financially.