Timeline of the WNBA

The following is a timeline of organizational changes in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), a women's professional basketball league in the United States that began play in 1997 with 8 teams and now comprises 13 teams (scheduled to expand to 18 by 2030). This article includes expansions, contractions, and relocations.^[1][2]

Current member Former member Relocated member Future member

• Orlando Miracle (1999–2002) – relocated to Connecticut, to become the Connecticut Sun (2003–present)
• Utah Starzz (1997–2002) – relocated to San Antonio to become the San Antonio Silver Stars (2003–2013), rebranded as the San Antonio Stars (2014–2017), and relocated again to Paradise, Nevada, to become the Las Vegas Aces (2018–present)
• Detroit Shock (1998–2009) – relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to become the Tulsa Shock (2010–2015) and then to Arlington, Texas, to become the Dallas Wings (2016–present)

• Charlotte Sting – 1997–2006
• Cleveland Rockers – 1997–2003
• Houston Comets – 1997–2008
• Miami Sol – 2000–2002
• Portland Fire – 2000–2002
• Sacramento Monarchs – 1997–2009

The league operated its inaugural season in 1997 with eight teams split into two conferences.^[3]

• The Detroit Shock and Washington Mystics were added and placed in the Eastern Conference.
• The Houston Comets moved to the Western Conference.

• The Minnesota Lynx and Orlando Miracle were added.
• The Miracle were placed in the Eastern Conference, while the Lynx were placed in the Western Conference.

• The Indiana Fever, Miami Sol, Portland Fire, and Seattle Storm were added.
• The Fever and the Sol were placed in the Eastern Conference, while the Fire and the Storm were placed in the Western Conference.

• The Miami Sol and Portland Fire folded after the season.

• The Orlando Miracle relocated to Connecticut to become the Connecticut Sun.^[4]
• The Utah Starzz relocated to San Antonio to become the San Antonio Silver Stars.^[5]
• The Cleveland Rockers folded after the season.

• The Chicago Sky was added and placed in the Eastern Conference.
• The Charlotte Sting folded after the season.

• The Atlanta Dream was added and placed in the Eastern Conference.
• The Houston Comets folded after the season.

• The Sacramento Monarchs folded after the season.

• The Detroit Shock relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma to become the Tulsa Shock and moved to the Western Conference.^[6]

• The San Antonio Silver Stars rebranded as the San Antonio Stars.^[5]

• The Tulsa Shock relocated to Arlington, Texas to become the Dallas Wings.^[7]

• The San Antonio Stars relocated to Paradise, Nevada to become the Las Vegas Aces.^[8]

• The Golden State Valkyries were added and placed in the Western Conference.^[1]

• Portland and Toronto Tempo are scheduled to be added.
• Portland is expected to be placed in the Western Conference, while the Tempo will be placed in the Eastern Conference.^[9]

On June 30, 2025, the WNBA announced that it would expand to Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029), and Philadelphia (2030), bringing the total to 18 teams.^[10] Cleveland and Detroit previously were WNBA markets.

The WNBA's exponential growth and popularity in recent years has led to rising expansion fees. The Golden State Valkyries, the league’s 13th franchise that began play in May 2025, paid $50 million to join, while the Toronto Tempo and Portland's yet-to-be-named team — the 14th and 15th franchises scheduled to begin play in 2026 — paid $115 million and $125 million, respectively.^[11]

The deadline for the next expansion bids was January 30, 2025. At the time, the bids were believed to be for a 16th expansion team. League commissioner Cathy Engelbert had said she was aiming to have the league expand to 16 teams by 2028.^[12] However, as expansion fees continued to rise, the league rethought its original plan of adding just one more expansion team. Each new team will pay $250 million in franchise fees to join the league.^[13]

Cleveland was previously home to the Rockers, one of the WNBA’s original eight members when the league began play in 1997. However, the franchise folded after the 2003 season when former owner Gordon Gund could not sell the team due to tumbling revenue and erratic attendance.

Detroit was previously home to the Shock, one of the WNBA’s first expansion teams when it began play in 1998. Between 1998 and 2009, the Shock won three WNBA championships. However, the team’s low fan attendance led the franchise to relocate to Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2009, where it played until 2015. The franchise moved again in 2015, to Arlington, Texas, and is now called the Dallas Wings.^[14]

The new team would play at Little Caesars Arena, home of the Pistons.^[15] The WNBA coincidentally filed a trademark application for the name “Detroit Shock” the same day Gores submitted his offer, a potential sign of the league’s intentions to revive the team.^[11]

Philadelphia 76ers owner Josh Harris of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), which also owns the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL), submitted a bid for an expansion team. When Harris partnered with Comcast on a new arena in South Philadelphia, the priority was to house a WNBA team along with the Sixers and the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers.^[16]

• List of WNBA seasons
• Timeline of women's basketball