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Jayson Tatum wouldn’t comment on his current involvement with an effort to bring a WNBA expansion franchise to St. Louis, but told Front Office Sports he would like to invest in bringing something “very cool and special” to the city where he grew up.
The Celtics star has been linked to a potential bid for a WNBA expansion team in St. Louis since late 2024, when Sportico reported he had “informally” committed to back a possible bid. The group that is seeking to launch a team in St. Louis is reportedly led by billionaires Richard Chaifetz and David Hoffman; Chaifetz in January purchased a minority stake in the San Francisco Giants, while Hoffman acquired the Pittsburh Penguins in December.
Tatum was coy when FOS asked about his involvement in a St. Louis WNBA bid. “Technically I’m not allowed to speak on that,” he said. “As much as I would love to, I don’t think I can right now.”
In terms of new future investments, Tatum said, “I’m always looking at opportunities and ways to amplify the city of St. Louis.”
The WNBA is in the middle of an ambitious expansion phase, finding early success. Last season, Golden State outperformed expectations, making the playoffs in their debut season. This year, new teams in Toronto and Portland are both over .500, with current records of 7–5 and 6–7, respectively.
Meanwhile, last summer, the WNBA announced additional expansion, with new teams coming in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia. The Cleveland team will begin play in 2028, followed by Detroit in 2029, and Philadelphia in 2030. A league source told FOS in June that each team paid a record-high $250 million expansion fee, significantly higher than the $50 million fee paid by the Valkyries and Tempo, as well as the reported $125 million fee paid by the Fire, which also included the cost of a new practice facility.
Although Tatum’s words aren’t an outright denial that he wants to stand up a St. Louis WNBA team, it’s unclear what potential timing would be if the push for a new team becomes formalized.
A representative for the WNBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
