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Cleveland WNBA is celebrating their return with a new community initiative

Cleveland WNBA is marking its return to women’s professional basketball with a set of 28 unique activations featuring camps, clinics, coach training sessions and professional development opportunities designed and programmed for girls and young women across Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and Western New York by June 30, 2026.

The announcement was made at Rocket Arena during a press event commemorating Rock Entertainment Group’s successful bid for Cleveland to become the WNBA’s 16th expansion market, and will provide opportunities for female athletes to develop their basketball skills, build confidence and connect directly with members of the Cleveland WNBA franchise and its leadership team.

Attendees included WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, County Executive Chris Ronayne, Cleveland WNBA ownership and leadership, along with seven former Cleveland WNBA players and more than 700 female student-athletes from 29 elementary, middle and high schools and colleges across Northeast Ohio.

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Cleveland WNBA

“Bringing women’s professional basketball back to Ohio is a source of immense pride for our entire organization and region,” said Grant Gilbert, Cleveland Cavaliers Vice President of Basketball and Business. “When we build, we’re all in. Cleveland’s WNBA franchise will be known for its investment in both championship-caliber culture and the community.”

“Cleveland is joining the WNBA family at the most exciting time in the history of our league,” adds Cathy Engelbert, WNBA Commissioner. “When we started to explore expansion opportunities, we looked for markets that could deliver on three things: a committed ownership group, a passionate and dedicated fan base and the community that embraces the power of women’s sports. Cleveland delivers on all three.”

Cleveland WNBA

The WNBA first announced that Cleveland would become the home to the league’s 16th team on June 30, 2025. The team, set to tip off play in 2028 at Rocket Arena, has already received nearly 7,000 initial payments on memberships.

By partnering with leaders, supporters and fans throughout the region, Cleveland WNBA is committed to building the most inclusive and welcoming brand in sports, ensuring access, inspiration and community impact are at the heart of everything it does.