Golden State Valkyries have raised the bar, now the race for the next WNBA franchise is really

They are only 9 games in, but the Golden State Valkyries do not play as Rookies – they rewrite the WNBA extension playbook. Sitting on 4-5, they don’t shout lottery team – they scream legitimate. And the fans? They appear loudly. The Golden State just became the first WNBA team that on average 18,000+ fans in their first three home games on average. They are filthy on the field. Outside the field they have Jackie Chan and Ali Wong Courtide.

In just a few weeks, the Valkyries were once seen as a trial version in a new gold standard.

The bar has been established and every city that is fighting for the next Wnba team knows.

“You need an arena and an practice facility and player housing and all things, you need dedicated ownership groups in the long term,” said commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “The nice thing is that we get a lot of phone calls.”

said about expansion teams in 2024

Those calls came to a peak in January, from 2025 when more than 10 potential ownership groups submitted formal bids for team no. 16. An announcement is expected by the fall, and although Cleveland is generally reported that he has a 90% chance of being selected with a recordbod of $ 250 million bid from Dan Gerbert’s bid.

If the debut of the Valkyries proved something, it is that being ready on paper is not enough – you have to deliver from the first day. And at the moment most contenders try to catch up.

Golden State had everything the WNBA wanted: NBA ownership bands (Joe Lacob, Warriors), a large media market and the infrastructure (Chase Center) to support success. The team was officially announced on October 5, 2023 and gave it a year and a half to prepare for his first regular season debut.

This preparation time included selection, marketing, recruitment and readyness of facilities – the part executed as a franchise that is already in the middle season.

Now, cities such as Cleveland, Nashville and Houston Want to match that preparation.

“Property involvement” And “Demography of the city” Stay central in the evaluation process of the WNBA and the Valkyries touch every figure. They also delivered a little more difficult to measure: Buzz. And that is where teams such as Kansas City, Denver and Charlotte try to innovate.

Within the expansion race: who is next after the Valkyries?

Toronto Time: Set in 2026 to make waves as the first WNBA franchise outside the US, the Toronto Tempo is boundaries and history. Supported by Kilmer Sports Ventures, who has eliminated $ 115 million for the rights, this expansion is not just about geography – it is about global ambition.

Portland: Unveiled in September 2024, Portland’s aforementioned WNBA franchise is preparing for a debut in 2026, with goal and pedigree. Owned by brothers and sisters Alex Bhathal and Lisa Bhathal Merage, who dropped $ 125 million to bring the competition back to RIP City, this team promises to combine the Pacific Northwest passion with the next generation of infrastructure.

Cleveland: At the moment all signs to Cleveland point as the clear leader. The Rock Entertainment Group from Dan Gilbert has a record-breaking bid of $ 250 million thrown away than double that Toronto and Portland paid. They have NBA tires, a house ready in Rocket MortGage Fieldhouse, and are planning to breathe new life into the old rocker name. Their trademark application even went up on 3 June and started the 30-day opposition version. Currently, Cleveland feels like only one announcement away from officially the next expansion team of the WNBA.

Detroit: Power players. Family tree championship. And slender shady in the ownership mix? Detroit’s offer to reduce the triple WNBA champion Detroit-Shock is downright starsly strewn. Supported by pistons -owner Tom Gores, NBA Legends Grant Hill and Chris Webber, Lions Qb Jared Goff, GM CEO Mary Barra, and yes, Eminem – who reportedly dropped an $ 150-200 million offer in March – this is more than nostalgia. It is a revival in the making. As Adam Silver said “It’s just a matter of when the shock comes back.”

Nashville: A bid built on legacy and legends. Bill Haslam, owner of the Predators of the NHL and former Governor of Tennessee, leads the leadership alongside his wife, Crissy, with WNBA Iconce Parker, NFL Great Peyton Manning and Country Star Faith Hill Alle in the Huddle. Their proposed team name? Tennessee Summit – A tribute to the late, big pat -top. With a city that is rich in culture and sports tradition, and Cathy Engelbert is already ‘very impressed’, Nashville strives for a debut in 2028 – and they play for kept.

The group said it was planning to submit an offer on Thursday afternoon in the hope of bringing a franchise to Nashville for the 2028 season.

Kansas City: Big stars, big plans and even bigger faith. Supported by Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the ownership group behind the current of the NWSL’s City of Kansas, this bid is banking on birthplace proud and serious infrastructure. With a private practice facility of 60,000 square feet in the making and an arena deal in the city center that is already on the table, KC is ready to hoop. “It would be packed every night,” Mahomes promises – and if history is a guide, he is probably right.

Philadelphia: Snubbeld but not put aside. Supported by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (owners of the 76ers), Comcast and the mayor of Philly, this offer is still in the game-hard, proud and ready for infrastructure. Philly was on the shortlist of 2025, but the nod went to the Valkyries and Portland instead. Now, with Toronto’s pace locked up and Detroit-Starten such as Eminem, Philly’s stay in the race with a vision: a new stadium, Big-League support and a hunger to prove that the city of sister love belongs to the W.

Houston: The birthplace of a dynasty wants to go back. Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has officially attempted to bring the WNBA back to H-Town, with the Toyota Center set as the house of the franchise. And let’s really be his-no team has more legacy weight than the Houston Comets, the first real Juggernaut of the competition and the only four-fold champions in the history of WNBA (1997-2000).

Austin: Under the leadership of former Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry and with NBA star Kevin Durant and former Commer’s player Fran Harris. The bid includes a practical facility and the use of the Moody Center. The basketball tribe is real – but Austin is not a NBA market.

Charlotte: Bound to Hornets -property, the bid promises a revival of the Legacy of Charlotte Sting. The fan base is deep and the NBA lines checks a Key League box.

Denver: The bid of the Dimond family includes a specially built arena and an approach shot by the community. Ashley Dimond would serve as a governor and offering ownership guided by women, a growing priority in sports sports.

But the Wnba is moving quickly. On 3 February 2025, the competition submitted trademarks for five legacy names – Charlotte Sting, Detroit Shock, Houston Comets, Miami Sol and Cleveland Rockers – who are significant how seriously these markets are considered.

The question now? Who is the next – and will Cathy Engelbert stick to the plan to stop at 16 teams by 2028? The clock taps and the last Roster cities is still very involved.