A WNBA expansion team may land in the Bay Area
The GIST: The NBA’s Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob is finalizing a deal to bring a WNBA expansion team to San Francisco’s Chase Center, pending an official announcement in October. It's not only a great move for W growth, but should also prove how much a major market women's team can flourish with billionaire support from the get-go.
The details: The team will likely be headquartered at the Warriors' practice facility in Oakland, catering to a sportstown that is more than ready for the women's game. In addition, the league hopes to add multiple franchises by 2025 from a shortlist of 10 cities, including Toronto, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Portland, and Denver.
The blueprint: Lacob can look to fellow billionaires Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai, who purchased the Liberty in 2019 and transformed it in five short years. The Tsais built a culture that allowed them to recruit a historic starting five, ultimately boosting ticket sales, viewership, and engagement. MVP Stewie isn’t the only one bringing value to Barclays, and that's the point.
The springboard: In terms of women's basketball experience, Lacob is light years ahead. He previously owned the San Jose Lasers in the American Basketball League, a now-defunct WNBA rival. Lacob also turned a $450M Golden State team into a $7B enterprise, and he can hopefully use existing Warriors relationships to replicate this success in the W.
The concerns: While expansion to the Bay meets the need for a surging market and provides much-needed roster spots, there are questions about whether an expanded league can meet players’ needs.
- Former WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson noted that while she does support expansion, she also wants the league to prioritize its current players. Right now, that means securing charter flights, upping max contract limits, and keeping players safe. Going from baller to shot caller.
