NEW YORK—The WNBA plans to add three additional expansion teams in the next four years, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Monday at the league’s draft.
The league previously announced its future 13th team, in the San Francisco Bay Area, would begin play in 2025. Ms. Engelbert on Monday stated a desire to have a 14th team in place a year after that, with the goal of reaching 16 teams in 2028.
“[Adding four new teams] will add 48 roster spots in just a couple of years,” Ms. Engelbert said. “That, in a league of 144 [players currently], is a lot. That’s 30 percent. I think it'll be great when we get those done over the next couple years.”
Philadelphia, Toronto, Denver, Nashville, and South Florida are in discussions with the WNBA regarding franchises, according to Ms. Engelbert.
“It’s complex because you need the arena and practice facility and player housing and all the things you need, committed long-term ownership groups,” the commissioner said. “And so, the nice thing is we’re getting a lot of calls. We’re continuing to engage with cities.
“These can either take a very long time to negotiate or it can happen pretty quickly if you find the right ownership group with the right arena situation.”
Portland was previously considered a front-runner for a WNBA expansion franchise, but the plans were put on hold late last year due to issues involving pending renovations to the Portland Trail Blazers’ arena.
The San Francisco Bay Area team, which has yet to announce a name, will stock its roster with an expansion draft in December, Ms. Engelbert said Monday.
