3 best potential names for Cleveland's next pro sports team
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been the premier basketball club in northeast Ohio since 1970. At the turn of the millennium, however, they shared the spotlight with another pro team.
As part of the original eight teams of the WNBA, the Cleveland Rockers represented the Land in a brand-new organization. In 2003, the team sadly went defunct after struggling to find a new ownership group. With the boost in viewership and ratings the WNBA has seen over the past few seasons, the Association began expanding.
With Toronto, Golden State and Portland announced as the next three WNBA franchises, the league sits at an awkward 15 teams. The WNBA plans to expand to a 16th team by 2028, and Cleveland's superstar Donovan Mitchell believes the Land is the perfect place for that franchise. During training camp, Mitchell commented on Cleveland's deep sports culture and said a return to Cleveland could be a great move for the WNBA.
Why Cleveland makes sense for the WNBA
Adding a new team to Cleveland would not only balance the WNBA to an even number, but it would balance the conferences easily. With two western teams and one eastern team joining right now, Cleveland's team would be an easy addition. Considering the history between Cleveland and the WNBA, returning to Ohio would be a far smoother transition than many other cities.
The NBA is reportedly expanding within the next few years as well, and many fans are anticipating a return to Seattle with the Supersonics. When a pro franchise exits a league, it does not necessarily mean that city does not make sense. For Cleveland, there was not enough structure in place at the time to supports the Rockers. Now, though, the city has grown and is excitedly supported each and every pro and semi-pro franchise in town. It is undoubtedly the ideal location for a new WNBA team.
Additionally, Cleveland proved itself as a great supporter of women's basketball after hosting the 2024 NCAA Division I Final Four earlier this year in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The April tournament attracted countless stars, including Ted Lasso himself, Jason Sudeikis.
If the WNBA wants to expand to a city that can guarantee a dedicated fanbase, they need to look no further than Cleveland. Just take the Browns as an example. We still pretend to have hope.
A new team means branding, though, and the WNBA could find a plethora of great options in Believeland. Although the midwest can be seen as fairly plain, Ohio's deep history and unique culture make branding the franchise an exciting thought experiment. These three team names could be a perfect fit if the WNBA came back to Cleveland in 2028 or beyond.