The WNBA is expanding to the San Francisco Bay Area, the league announced Thursday. San Francisco’s inaugural season will begin in 2025. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the women’s basketball team will be an expansion of the Golden State Warriors, making them the sixth NBA franchise to also have a WNBA team.
“We are thrilled about expanding to the Bay Area,” Engelbert said, “and bringing the WNBA to a region with passionate basketball fans and a strong history of supporting women’s basketball.
“[Warriors co-owners] Joe Lacob, Peter Guber and their leadership team know how to build and operate a world-class organization, as witnessed by the immense success the Warriors’ franchise has enjoyed from both a business and basketball perspective over the last decade. Their interest in joining the WNBA family is yet another sign of the league’s growth potential.”
“Welcome to the WNBA.”
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert presents Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob and executive chairman Peter Guber with the official game ball.
🎥 @WNBA | @wnbagoldenstate pic.twitter.com/ghDDpOJbiw
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 5, 2023
Warriors co-executive chairmen Joe Lacob and Peter Guber, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, SF mayor London Breed and Warriors chief operating officer Brandon Schneider are at Chase Center to officially announce the WNBA team coming to the Bay Area in 2025. pic.twitter.com/nLNTgYM2ri
— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) October 5, 2023
The San Francisco team is the first new WNBA franchise since 2008, when the Atlanta Dream joined. San Francisco will be the 13th WNBA team. Chase Center is set to become their home arena. They will also use the Warriors’ practice facility as their headquarters.
Engelbert said Thursday she expects a 14th team to be added to the league by 2025. She mentioned several cities that have shown interest in an expansion team, including Portland, Sacramento, Toronto, Philadelphia, and Denver.
Golden State Warriors awarded WNBA expansion team in San Francisco Bay Area, inaugural season begins in 2025
WNBA expansion has been one of Engelbert’s long-term personal goals.
“The first thing when I came in, I said, ‘OK, we have 12 teams in a country of over 300 million people. That is not enough,’” she told The Athletic last year. “So that’s why we do talk about expansion, and you have to be in more cities to grow more fandom.”
Additionally, Warriors star Stephen Curry welcomed the new squad to the Bay Area minutes after the announcement.
“Looking forward to having y’all,” the nine-time All-Star said on social media. “Can’t wait to see y’all thrive at the highest level. Let’s get it!”
#WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert with some city name drops for the 14th team 👀 Portland, Sacramento, Denver, Toronto, Philly, and Charlotte. pic.twitter.com/fZ2RxlAz7N
— Tyler DeLuca (@TylerDeLuca) October 5, 2023
Furthermore, Lacob declared the new Golden State team would “win a championship in the next five years” during the news conference at Chase Center. The NBA executive also mentioned they have not yet decided on a team name.
“The Bay Area is the perfect market for a WNBA team, and we are thrilled this opportunity has finally come to fruition,” he added.
“The WNBA continues to solidify itself as the preeminent women’s professional basketball league and we look forward to supporting the best women’s basketball players in the world and our team starting in 2025.”
At this juncture, it is unknown how much the Warriors organization paid to establish the WNBA franchise.
