Patrick Mahomes and Jayson Tatum have a new rival in their bid to build a WNBA franchise. Mahomes and Tatum are both in the market to add a 16th team to the WNBA after expansion franchises Golden State, Toronto and Portland were added.
More than 15 cities are said to be bidding to add another, and Mahomes and Tatum are both behind pushes. Chiefs quarterback Mahomes is hoping to establish a team in Kansas City having already invested in other sports, including soccer with Sporting Kansas City.
Mahomes has said: “It was cool that we were able to get this soccer team, this women’s soccer team here in the Current and they’re going into the playoffs now and you see the support that they have. “So let’s try to get a WNBA team in here as well [with] that same ownership group. They’ve done the Current the right way, and I want to continue to work with them to take that next step and get a WNBA team here.”
Meanwhile, Boston Celtics forward Tatum is bidding to spark up a team in his hometown, St. Louis. New twist in the race
The new twist is that Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert is hoping to build a team in Cleveland.
Joe Pompliano reported: Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert is submitting a bid for a WNBA expansion team, per @JGolden5. The WNBA has already announced new teams in Golden State, Portland, and Toronto, and 15+ cities are bidding on the league’s 16th team. The expansion fee could reach $200 million.”
A bidding war could now form, with no shortage of offers for the WNBA as they study which city could be the best fit for a new franchise, and over the coming years, it’s highly likely that the number will go beyond 16.
