• Loading stock data...
Friday, June 20, 2025

Push To Bring NWSL To Cleveland Has Strong Local Support

  • The NWSL wants to add one more team in 2026 to expand to 16 franchises.
  • Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert is interested in helping promote a club.
A view of the 2023-24 NWSL season match ball.
Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

The NWSL is expanding at a rapid pace — and one NBA team owner wants in.

Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert’s Rock Entertainment Group is partnering with another local soccer-focused organization to attract an NWSL expansion club. As of now, Gilbert would not be part of a prospective ownership group, though.

The league currently has 12 teams but will expand to 14 in 2024 with the addition of Bay FC, as well as a revival of the Utah Royals under new ownership. In 2026, A Boston franchise will enter the league, bringing it to 15 clubs.

NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman has publicly stated her desire to also enter a 16th team into the league in 2026. Both the Boston and Bay Area ownership groups are paying about $50 million in expansion fees — record figures for the league.

The NWSL — which is in the midst of its playoffs and will crown its champion on Nov. 11 — is also close to sealing a new set of media rights deals

Women’s Sports Momentum

The NWSL’s momentum is part of a larger trend of women’s sports seeing new investment in the U.S. and around the world.

Two expansion WNBA teams will enter the league in 2025, with the Bay Area franchise believed to be paying $50 million. And in recent months, women’s sports have been breaking attendance records in both pro and college sports.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Pacers Force Game 7, Could Spark Big Ratings Boost for NBA Finals

Game 7 could boost NBA Finals ratings after a slow start this year.

Fire Rekindled? WNBA’s Portland Expansion Team Eyes Original Name

WNBA trademarks hint at Portland Fire revival as league expands and honors history.

Omaha Delivers Again: LSU, Coastal Carolina Set for CWS Showdown

LSU and Coastal Carolina begin their three-game series Saturday.
Mark Walter

Mark Walter Just Bought the Lakers At a $10B Valuation. Who Is..

Walter’s Lakers buy is easily the biggest franchise sale ever.

Featured Today

Dec 5, 2024; Miami, FL, USA; FIFA president Gianni Infantino presents the FIFA Club World Cup trophy during the Club Word Cup draw at Telemundo Studios.

Revamped Club World Cup Is FIFA’s Billion-Dollar Gamble

The revamped soccer event debuts amid controversy.
Jun 10, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino stands during the anthem against the Switzerland during the first at Geodis Park
June 14, 2025

Gold Cup Is Complicated for USMNT—but U.S. Soccer Has Its Eyes on..

Uncertain tournament success isn’t fazing forward-looking U.S. soccer.
Jan 24, 2017; Davidson, NC, USA; The Davidson Wildcats student section cheers during the first half against the Duquesne Dukes at McKillop Court at John M. Belk Arena. Davidson defeated Duquesne 74-60.
June 6, 2025

Every College Wants a Flashy Basketball GM Hire Right Now

The role is more important than ever, and the definition is ever-evolving.
August 31, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; The Goodyear blimp flies over Ohio Stadium during the first half of Saturday’s NCAA Division I football game between the Akron Zips and the Ohio State Buckeyes.
June 6, 2025

Why the Goodyear Blimp Is at Every Major Sports Event

The airship wasn’t built to cover sports. Now it’s a regular presence.
Jun 13, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) drives to the hoop past Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8), guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) and forward Chet Holmgren (7) during the third quarter of game four of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Pacers, Fever Overwhelmed by Demand for Merch

“We have people waiting to get in the store at 10 in the morning.”
June 17, 2025

Panthers Repeat as Stanley Cup Champs, Buoyed by Bold Deadline Move

The second consecutive Cup helps cement the South as a hockey stronghold.
June 18, 2025

Rays on Verge of $1.7B Sale Following Stadium Deal Collapse

The team’s owner walked away from a stadium deal just months ago.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Ted Leonsis unpacks basketball’s global rise, media rights, and portfolio ownership.
Jun 7, 2025; Harrison, New Jersey, USA; Kansas City Current forward Flora Marta Lacho (30) passes the ball as NJ/NY Gotham FC midfielder Jaelin Howell (7) defends during the second half at Sports Illustrated Stadium.
June 16, 2025

Gotham FC Owner Wants to Apply Peloton Instructor Model to NWSL Players

“We need to inject our Gotham stars into New York culture.”
June 16, 2025

Devers Deal Gives Giants Star Hitter After Free-Agency Rejections

The Devers deal shows a heightened aggressiveness from a former league power.
June 16, 2025

Ohtani’s Return to Pitching Brightens Spotlight on MLB’s Biggest Star

The Dodgers superstar is back to pitching, several weeks ahead of schedule.
June 15, 2025

Red Sox Trade Rafael Devers to Giants in Shocker

Devers just signed a 10-year, $313.5 million extension in 2023.