(KRON) — A deal that might carry a WNBA crew to the Bay Space is near being accomplished, in accordance with stories from The Athletic and ESPN Tuesday. The crew can be owned by Golden State Warriors proprietor Joe Lacob, the Athletic stated.
Whereas Oakland, which is on the verge of dropping its third skilled sports activities crew, has been seen as a possible touchdown spot for a WNBA crew, The Athletic reported that this potential franchise would play its house video games at San Francisco’s Chase Middle. The crew headquarters and apply facility can be in Oakland.
The deal is shut however particulars have to be resolved earlier than it’s full, in accordance with The Athletic.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert stated final yr that she plans to increase the league. The Bay Space was on the brief record of cities that would land a crew.
“Definitely Bay Space, usually, together with Oakland or San Francisco, is actually on our record, excessive on our record,” she advised Yahoo! “The W is in all places proper now. However such a fantastic market on the market given ladies’s faculty basketball [is] very fashionable within the Bay Space. Sure, that’s positively on the record.”
Oakland Vice-Mayor Rebecca Kaplan launched a decision in September 2022 that aimed to carry a WNBA crew to Oakland.
“As these conversations unfold, the Metropolis of Oakland should make it clear that not solely are we supportive of bringing a WNBA Staff to Oakland, however are excited to be companions and collaborators with the WNBA throughout the growth,” she stated.
Since then, information broke that the A’s intend to go away Oakland for Las Vegas, becoming a member of the Raiders and Warriors as groups departing the East Bay’s greatest metropolis.
With powerhouse Stanford positioned in Palo Alto, the Bay Space already has one robust ladies’s basketball crew. The Bay Space has by no means had a WNBA crew. The WNBA’s Sacramento Monarchs existed from 1997-2009 earlier than ultimately folding.
