Professional women's basketball is returning to Cleveland after more than 20 years. Fans will soon have an opportunity to watch the Cleveland Sirens of the WNBA.
Videos by FanBuzz
Officially revealed on Tuesday, the Sirens will join the WNBA as an expansion team. They will begin playing games during the 2028 season while hosting games at Rocket Arena, the current home of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers.
The WNBA team had the opportunity to simply bring back the Cleveland Rockers, which operated from 1997 until 2003, but it opted for a different path. The Sirens used nearby Lake Erie as inspiration and added some watery flair to the operation.
We are the Cleveland Sirens.
This is HER story. This is HER voice. And the world is listening.#HEARTHECALL📢 pic.twitter.com/w8B3R8M7Of
— Cleveland Sirens (@clevelandwnba) August 4, 2026
The two teams will remain separate. The Sirens will not view the Rockers as part of the team's history. Instead, it will start anew with the 2028 season. Although The Athletic reports that the Siren will have an alumni program for former Rockers players.
"The Cleveland Sirens are sharp, unapologetic, fearless and relentless, representative of this region, our Great Lake and the future of our city and women's basketball," president of business operations Allison Howard said in a statement from the team.
The Cleveland Sirens will operate under Dan Gilbert's Rock Entertainment Group, which houses the Cavaliers, Charge (G-League), Monsters (AHL), Cavs Legion GC (esports), and other brands.
"The WNBA's return to Cleveland marks a pivotal moment for women's sports. Years from now, we will reflect on this day as a truly monumental point in Cleveland's sporting history," Gilbert said. "The passion, support and continued commitment of our community for our professional sports teams played an integral role in making this possible.
"We're confident that this team will honor our city's enthusiastic support of women's sports, reinvigorate our WNBA fan base and help cultivate the next generation of women's basketball enthusiasts and athletes. We're grateful to the WNBA and Commissioner Engelbert for this opportunity and for their unwavering belief in Cleveland."
The WNBA currently has 15 teams operating in two different conferences. The Western Conference features the Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever, New York Liberty, Toronto Tempo, and Washington Mystics.
The Eastern Conference features the Dallas Wings, Golden State Valkyries, Las Vegas Aces, Los Angeles Sparks, Minnesota Lynx, Phoenix Mercury, Portland Fire, and Seattle Storm.
The Sirens will join this group and attempt to contend for wins early and often. In the meantime, the team will hope to get fans involved through ticket preorders and merchandise purchases.
