The sport of women’s basketball is growing exponentially.
It’s been particularly noticeable at the college level, but it’s growing at the professional level, as well. With several big-time college stars — including Caitlin Clark — about to be picked in the 2024 WNBA draft, that trend isn’t likely to change.
With growth comes expansion. The league will expand from 12 to 13 teams in 2025 with the addition of a team in San Francisco, but it’s not stopping there.
At the draft, commissioner Cathy Engelbert said that the WNBA will expand to 16 teams, likely by 2028. Among the possible cities are Philadelphia, Toronto, Denver, Portland, Nashville and South Florida.
Cathy Engelbert says the plan and goal is to get to 16 teams within the next few years.
Says the league is currently engaged with Philadelphia, Toronto, Denver, Nashville and South Florida.
Says by 2028 she feels confident the league will be at 16 teams. #WNBADraft
— Meghan L. Hall (@ItsMeghanLHall) April 15, 2024
Philadelphia is currently the largest media market in the United States not represented by a WNBA team, while Toronto would represent the league’s first attempt to go international.
With the sport’s popularity at an all-time high, it’s clear the league is going full steam ahead in an attempt to grow the game’s reach.