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As Its TV Ratings Rebound, WNBA Expands To Philadelphia, Cleveland And Detroit
As it enjoys a TV ratings resurgence, the WNBA is expanding to 18 teams, adding franchises in Philadelphia, Cleveland and Detroit.
Players celebrate a shot during the 2024 WNBA All-Star GameAlex Slitz/Getty Images The league’s 15 existing clubs include the Golden State Valkyries, which played their first games in May 2025, as well as teams starting up next year in Toronto and Portland, OR. A contest last week between Clark’s Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces averaged 1.7 million viewers on ESPN, the network’s fifth-biggest regular-season game. “This historic expansion is a powerful reflection of our league’s extraordinary momentum, the depth of talent across the game, and the surging demand for investment in women’s professional basketball.”
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