New Professional Sports Team Coming To Philly

PHILADELPHIA, PA — The Women's National Basketball Association announced a historic expansion on Monday that will bring the league a new franchise in Philadelphia, following years of speculation and advocacy from the city's basketball community.

The new team is slated to debut in 2030, when the Sixers will open their new arena. The team, which has not yet been named, will share that arena with the Sixers and the Flyers.

The team will be run by Sixers owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer along with David Adelman and Brian Roberts.

The WNBA also announced new teams coming to Cleveland in 2028 and Detroit in 2029.

“The demand for women’s basketball has never been higher, and we are thrilled to welcome Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia to the WNBA family,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement.“This historic expansion is a powerful reflection of our league’s extraordinary momentum, the depth of talent across the game, and the surging demand for investment in women’s professional basketball."

The WNBA said the expansion will "reshape the landscape" of women's basketball, which has steadily grown over the past decade.

Rumors have circulated for years that Philadelphia was being eyed by the WNBA for expansion. The city has a long and storied basketball history that extends far beyond the presence of the modern day Sixers. Luminaries and all time greats ranging from Wilt Chamberlain and Earl Monroe to Dawn Staley and Kahleah Copper hail from the city, and the success of the Villanova, Temple, and St. Joseph's basketball programs routinely brings national attention to the city come March and NCAA tourney time.

“Philadelphia is one of the most storied basketball cities in the world and our region is home to some of the best women’s players and coaches to ever grace the hardwood," Harris said in a statement. "It’s only right that this city gets the WNBA team it deserves, and we’re humbled to help usher in a new era of Philadelphia basketball."

The landmark announcement Monday will bring the size of the WNBA to 18 teams by 2030.

The Harris-Blitzer Sports Entertainment group also owns the NHL's New Jersey Devils and the NFL's Washington Commanders.

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