Cleveland Rockers rebirth? WNBA awards its 16th team to Cavs owner Dan Gilbert's group
Cleveland will have a franchise reborn as the WNBA's 16th team, the league announced June 30. Cleveland is set to begin playing in the 2028 season.
The WNBA announced Detroit and Philadelphia will also launch teams, starting play in the 2029 and 2030 seasons, respectively. As a result, the league's total number of teams will rise to 18. Cleveland and Detroit were previously in the WNBA.
Michelle Edwards of the Cleveland Rockers leaps toward the basket during a 1997 game in Cleveland
Cleveland Rockers history in WNBA
The Cleveland Rockers became one of eight WNBA charter organizations in 1996 and played the first of their seven seasons in 1997. The team folded in 2003. Back then, former Cavs and Rockers owner Gordon Gund blamed the demise of Cleveland's WNBA club on low attendance and a failure to turn a profit in any season of its existence.
"We had great and enthusiastic fans, but there just weren't enough of them," the late Cavs and Rockers radio play-by-play legend Joe Tait told the Beacon Journal in 2003.
However, the WNBA's popularity soared in recent years and led to expansion. The Golden State Valkyries debuted in May. Toronto and Portland landed teams, too, and they will begin playing in the 2026 season.
When will the Cleveland team begin playing in the WNBA?
The June 30 announcement did not disclose the nickname of the Cleveland franchise. The Cleveland team is set to debut in three years and play its home games at Rocket Arena, the home venue of Gilbert's Cavaliers.
Cavs headquarters in Independence will become the Cleveland WNBA team's practice facility. The Cavs are planning to operate in downtown Cleveland out of the Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center, which is scheduled to open in 2027.
"The WNBA's return to Cleveland marks a pivotal moment for women's sports. Years from now, we will reflect on this day as a truly monumental point in Cleveland's sporting history," Gilbert said in a news release. "The passion, support, and continued commitment of our community for our professional sports teams played an integral role in making this possible. We're confident that this team will honor our city's enthusiastic support of women's sports, reinvigorate our WNBA fanbase, and help cultivate the next generation of women's basketball enthusiasts and athletes. We're grateful to the WNBA and Commissioner [Cathy] Engelbert for this opportunity and for their unwavering belief in Cleveland."
Cavs owner Dan Gilbert speaks after receiving the lifetime achievement award during the 25th Greater Cleveland Sports Awards at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
How much did the Cleveland Rockers cost?
In February, Sports Business Journal reported Gilbert's group submitted an approximate bid worth a league-record $250 million for a Cleveland franchise.
Golden State paid $50 million to join the WNBA, Toronto $115 million and Portland $125 million, according to the SBJ report.
Former Cleveland Rockers player Suzie McConnell Serio battles for a loose ball in the late 1990s at Gund Arena in Cleveland.
How did the first version of the Cleveland Rockers do?
The Rockers went 108-112 in seven seasons (1997-2003) and made the playoffs four times. They produced their top record (22-10) in 2001 and best postseason run in 2000, when they lost to the New York Liberty in the Eastern Conference Finals.
In 2003, the Rockers ranked 10th out of 14 WNBA teams with an average attendance of 7,400 and lost Gund's backing. No buyer was found for the team.
Two years later, Gilbert purchased the Cavs from Gund, and now Gilbert is resurrecting the WNBA in Cleveland.
“Cleveland is a city built on loyalty, pride, and a deep passion for the game of basketball,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a news release. “We’re excited to welcome Cleveland back to the WNBA at a time of extraordinary momentum for our league. As one of our original eight franchises, this city played a foundational role in the WNBA’s early days, and we’re honored to return and build on that legacy. We’re incredibly grateful to Dan Gilbert and Rock Entertainment Group for their commitment to bringing women’s professional basketball back to Northeast Ohio — and we can’t wait to see the impact this team will have on and off the court.”
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Rockers rebirth? WNBA awards its 16th team to Cavs owner Dan Gilbert's group
