WNBA Announces Cleveland Sirens as 16th Franchise for 2028

The WNBA will return to Cleveland in 2028 with a new identity, as the league’s expansion franchise was officially named the Cleveland Sirens on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. The announcement marks the city’s re-entry into professional women’s basketball after a 25-year absence.

The franchise, owned by Rock Entertainment Group, which also controls the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, will play its home games at Rocket Arena. The ownership group paid a $250 million expansion fee to secure the team, which will become the WNBA’s 16th franchise. Officials said the name “Sirens” was chosen to create a distinctive new identity, moving away from the city’s former WNBA team, the Cleveland Rockers, which operated from 1997 until folding in 2003.

Team President Allison Howard described the branding as “bold” and “impossible to ignore,” stating the identity is meant to symbolize strength, unity, and a progressive future for women’s sports. The name draws from both Greek mythology and local geography, intended to reflect the power and pull of Lake Erie. The primary logo features a siren holding a basketball, with her hair forming five points to represent the Great Lakes and the five positions on a...