More WNBA Teams?

 Hey everyone! Welcome to Crystal Sideline Buzz, I'm Crystal, and I am excited to have you on my blog!

In today's article, we're diving into the future of the WNBA, as the league sets its sights on expansion. By 2030, the organization is aiming to grow to 18 teams, which is a huge step in women's basketball! It was recently revealed by sources that targeted cities like Cleveland. Detroit and Philadelphia, along with the possibility of adding Portland and Toronto. 

The former player reacts to the announcement.

Following the WNBA's expansion announcement, reactions have been coming left and right from teams and players. One of the most talked-about responses came from former Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham.  She didn't seem particularly happy about the thought of visiting Detroit or Cleveland. Her comment sparked a wave of responses from the internet. "It's a hard decision-making situation, but man, I don't know how excited people are to be going to Detroit or Cleveland," Cunningham said. 

 Teams react to Cunningham's comment. 

Other teams and city officials have responded not only to the idea of expansion but also did not hold back when it came to Cunningham's comments. The city of Detroit pushed back, pointing out its strong track record of supporting the WNBA. The franchise ranked in the top five for attendance across five straight seasons, led the league in three of them, and set a single-game playoff attendance record with 222,076 fans. The team has also averaged 9,500 fans per game following a franchise high of 10,229 in 1998, which was ranked sixth overall that year. 

Meanwhile, Cleveland did not bite their tongue either, stating that Cunningham's comment served as a "final Catalyst" that inspired them to fully commit to bringing the WNBA back. Even former Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell hopped on the social media platform X, posting fire emojis in celebration of Cleveland. 

Fans reactions

Fans across social media didn't just react to the WNBA's expansion announcement; they had a lot to say about Cunningham's remarks as well. Let's be honest, the internet didn't hold back, especially fans from Detroit or Cleveland. Many welcomed the news of the expansion, expressing support for the league's growth and the importance of diversity and inclusion in women's basketball. New teams can potentially land in cities like Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia, Toronto, and Portland. Fans saw it as a strong move into traditional basketball markets with so much history. 

As for Cunningham's comment, the response was quite the opposite; she faced criticism from fans and even some players, many of whom questioned, particularly considering the WNBA's legacy in both Detroit and Cleveland. Despite her remarks, support for the expansion remains strong, and encouragement from fans. 

Crystal's reaction

As someone who supports women's sports, especially the WNBA, we need more teams, and this expansion is something I stand behind. If the WNBA follows through will expanding these teams into cities like Detroit, Cleveland, Toronto, and Portland, I highly encourage the franchise to also add a team in Milwaukee as well! I feel like Milwaukee will be a perfect home for women's basketball, and with the number of sports fans across Wisconsin, these women will absolutely feel loved. Plus, as a student sports editor and just a sports fan in general, I would love to bring a Wisconsin WNBA team to my blog, as well as to the MATC Times. In my opinion, the WNBA needs to be more marketed and advertised. For that to happen, this project of expanding the teams in popular cities will definitely bring a lot of revenue and a wide audience like the NBA. More young women who love basketball from those local cities will have someone to look up to.