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Detroit WNBA team

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Detroit WNBA team
LeagueWNBA
FoundedJune 30, 2025; 1 day ago (2025-06-30)
HistoryDetroit WNBA team
2029–future
ArenaLittle Caesars Arena
Capacity20,332
LocationDetroit, Michigan, U.S.
OwnershipTom Gores
Websitewww.wnba.com/detroit

The Detroit WNBA team is an American professional basketball team based in Detroit, Michigan. Established in 2025, the team will compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA); it is scheduled to begin play in 2029. The team will play its home games at Little Caesars Arena. The franchise will be the second WNBA team in the city's history, following the Detroit Shock.

History

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The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) previously had a Detroit, Michigan-based team in the Detroit Shock, a team founded in 1998 that competed until 2009 and won three league championships.[1] The team relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma after the 2009 season, becoming the Tulsa Shock.[2] After a second relocation following the 2015 season, the Shock franchise is now playing as the Dallas Wings.[3]

In January 2025, Tom Gores, the owner of the NBA's Detroit Pistons, along with a group of local investors including Chris Webber, Jared Goff and Grant Hill, submitted a formal bid for Detroit to receive a WNBA expansion franchise.[4]

On June 30, 2025, Detroit was officially announced as one of three cities to receive new WNBA teams, along with Cleveland and Philadelphia.[5] Cleveland is scheduled to begin play in 2028, Detroit in 2029, and Philadelphia in 2030. The Detroit team will play at Little Caesars Arena, the home of the Pistons.[6]

References

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  1. ^ Sankofa II, Omari (June 30, 2025). "WNBA coming back to Detroit: Expansion franchise announced for 2029 season". Detroit Free Press.
  2. ^ "NBA.com: WNBA's Shock will relocate to Tulsa". www.nba.com. Archived from the original on 2012-11-06. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  3. ^ "WNBA owners unanimously approved relocation of Tulsa Shock to Dallas-Fort Worth area". The Seattle Times. 2015-07-23. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  4. ^ Sankofa II, Omari (January 31, 2025). "Tom Gores, superteam of investors submit bid to bring WNBA team back to Detroit". Detroit Free Press.
  5. ^ Feinberg, Doug (June 30, 2025). "WNBA expanding to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia over next five years". Associated Press.
  6. ^ "WNBA expanding to Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia by 2030". ESPN.
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