The WNBA has added a few new franchises amid the league’s expansion program, and there are more teams to follow suit. After the Golden State Valkyries made it to the league as the first franchise in 17 years, another team is gearing up for its debut.
As per some recent reports, a new WNBA team is making a hard push to enter the league for one more time. It would be a great coming few years for the basketball fans as the WNBA promises to be another exciting league after the NBA.
Houston Pushing For WNBA Comeback After Almost Two Decades
With the Valkyries proving the WNBA’s bet right for expanding the league, another team eyeing a comeback after 17 years is Houston. Recently, Ryan Tanke, the new COO of the Houston Rockets and an experienced figure in the WNBA, has been advocating for a team in Houston.
Tanke expressed his support for the potential Houston franchise and acknowledged assisting in the launch of a team there. FYI, he has a history with the league, having served on the WNBA Board of Governors and led the Minnesota Lynx to success.
Historically, the Houston Comets were one of the original WNBA teams and achieved remarkable success. They went on to win four consecutive WNBA titles and made the playoffs for seven straight seasons before the franchise folded in 2008.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has also shown confidence in the league’s movement towards expanding to 16 teams. Additionally, the league has applied to trademark several historic team names, including the Comets.
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WNBA Eyeing To Secure ‘Houston Comets’ Trademark
Behind the scenes, there has been a lot cooking for the Houston franchise. Last fall, Houston Rockets’ owner Tilman Fertitta announced his plans to bid for the WNBA’s 16th franchise. Unfortunately for Houston basketball fans, it seems the city will have to wait just a bit longer for a Comets revival.
According to reports from SBJ‘s Tom Friend, Houston would face some difficulty on the road ahead. Dan Gilbert, who owns the Cleveland Cavaliers, could potentially snag that coveted 16th franchise with a record-breaking bid of around $250 million.
Fans can expect the WNBA to make this official announcement about Cleveland’s new team in March. While Houston won’t be getting the next team right away, the news isn’t all grim. There’s buzz that the WNBA might award two more expansion teams soon, with Houston, Philadelphia, Nashville, Detroit, and Miami in the running. Just recently, the league even applied for trademarks for the Houston Comets, Detroit Shock, Miami Sol, and Charlotte Sting.