“The W’s coming”: WNBA announces expansion franchise in Philadelphia

A WNBA team is finally coming to the City of Brotherly Love.

The women’s professional basketball team in Philadelphia is set to debut in 2030, pending approval from the WNBA and the NBA Board of Governors, the league announced on Monday. The team will be based in South Philadelphia and will be owned and operated by Comcast Spectacor and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the same group that owns the 76ers, Devils, and Commanders.

The announcement comes just over six months after HBSE and Comcast announced a new shared arena with the Sixers and the Flyers set to open in 2031.

“Philadelphia, the W’s coming. Let’s go, this is awesome,” Josh Harris, managing partner of the 76ers and co-founder of HBSE, said Monday. “To the city of Philly, this is your team. Philadelphia is a city about sports, and basketball in particular, including generations of extraordinary women’s basketball talent, athletes who have shaped the game and inspired countless others.”

“For me and the community, bringing the WNBA to Philly wasn’t just nice to have. It was an obligation.”

The WNBA also announced expansion to Detroit and Cleveland. By 2030, the league will have 18 teams around the USA and Toronto.

“Philadelphia is one of the most storied basketball cities in the world, and our region is home to some of the greatest women’s players and coaches to ever grace the hardwood,” Harris said. “It’s only right that this city finally gets the WNBA franchise it deserves, and we’re humbled to help usher in a new era of Philadelphia basketball. Thanks to my partners David Blitzer, David Adelman, Brian Roberts and the team at Comcast, and Governor Shapiro and Mayor Cherelle Parker for their collective leadership. We’re committed to building a world-class organization, fostering the continued growth of women’s professional sports in this great city, and bringing one of the fastest rising leagues in the world to Philadelphia in 2030.” 

Harris said the WNBA team, which is Philadelphia’s first new major professional sports team since 2008, will give girls in the Philadelphia region a team to root for and be inspired by.

“Philadelphia is a city with unmatched passion, rich basketball tradition, and an unwavering love for its teams,” WNBA Commissioner, and South Jersey native, Cathy Engelbert, said. “It’s only fitting that this iconic sports town is finally home to a WNBA franchise. From neighborhood courts to historic college arenas, basketball runs deep in Philly, and we’re proud to bring the W to a city that’s ready to embrace it. We’re grateful for Josh Harris, David Blitzer, David Adelman, Brian Roberts, and the entire ownership group for their leadership and investment in growing the game and elevating women’s sports in this incredible community.” 

The reason Philadelphia had not been gifted a team yet is because of the instability of the Sixers’ arena situation. Now, finally, that the arena affair is stable and a new building is on the way, a WNBA franchise is coming along with it.

“This is a great day for Philadelphia and we’re proud to be a small part of bringing the WNBA to our hometown,” Brian L. Roberts, Chairman and CEO of the Comcast Corporation, said. “Congratulations to the 76ers, the WNBA, and the City who all made this landmark moment possible.”

And it is a great day. The W coming to Philadelphia opens up a whole new world for young, female athletes, who now have a team of their own to look up to, with players who will become mentors. It is about time this league came to Philadelphia, and it is a beautiful thing that it is finally happening.

You can learn more about Philadelphia’s WNBA team on the official website.

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