Cleveland’s forthcoming WNBA franchise announces name and branding

The GIST: A little over a year ago, Cleveland was announced as the WNBA’s 16th franchise after Rock Entertainment Group (REG) paid a historic $250 million expansion fee. Now, the city finally knows who they’ll be cheering for: the Sirens. The club debuted its name and branding on Tuesday at Rocket Arena, the 19.4K-seater stadium where it will begin play in 2028.

• Some fans may have been hoping for a resurgence of the Rockers (the original Cleveland team circa 1997), but the new identity still pays homage to the past while the numbers speak to a very bright future.

🔱 The brand: The logo, designed by REG and creative agency Supper, draws upon themes of fluidity, fearlessness, and civic pride, particularly in Lake Erie. The brand colors are a tribute to the nearby lake and the Rockers’ iconic icy blue, now in the form of “Erie Blue” and “Siren Blue”. That’s cold.

• And the longer you look at the design, more details come to the surface. From the webbed, clawed hand palming a ball to the hidden “C-L-E” and the five waves of the siren’s hair symbolizing Cleveland’s future starting five, it’s a masterclass in sports branding.

🎟️ The response: Prior to the launch, teasers urged basketball fans to “hear the call,” but Cleveland die-hards had already answered months earlier. As of yesterday, the Sirens broke the 10K season ticket deposit threshold, a milestone that has only been reached once in the W — by the Golden State Valkyries in 2025.

• And for anyone curious about conflict with the other Sirens? Don’t worry, Front Office Sports reported that the name won’t infringe on the trademark held by the PWHL’s NY franchise. There’s room for all in the deep blue sea.