Expansion in the WNBA may not be slowing down anytime soon.
Former state governor of Tennessee and Nashville Predators chairman Bill Haslam announced on Thursday that he and his wife Crissy are leading a group of investors in submitting an expansion bid for a WNBA team.
Should the bid be successful, the Tennessee franchise would begin play in the summer of 2028 and play out of Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, also home to the NHL’s Predators.
“Crissy and I are very pleased to lead this effort to bring a WNBA team to the city of Nashville and the state of Tennessee,” said Haslam in a statement. “We recognize the emergence of professional sports for women across the globe, at the same time observing the void in our state.
“We believe a WNBA team, based in Nashville, could serve as a beacon for girls and women, young and old, across Tennessee, while also creating more opportunities for sports fans as our community continues to grow … This WNBA team will establish itself as a mainstay in Nashville and communities throughout the state of
Tennessee.”
And unlike other recent expansion franchises, Haslam’s group has taken the courtesy of figuring out some of the logistics before their bid has been approved. Notably, the ownership collective has proposed the name “Tennessee Summit.”
It was done to honour legendary NCAA coach Pat Summitt who led the University of Tennessee to eight championships in her 38 years at the helm, and is often regarded as the greatest coach in women’s basketball history. Summitt passed away in 2016 at age 64.
“As a fierce competitor, my mom was proud of the Lady Vols’ championships and success, but she was also a huge advocate for women’s sports and women in leadership,” said Tyler Summitt, co-founder of Pat Summitt Leadership Group and Pat Summitt Foundation. “I know she would be proud and honoured to be included in the expansion of women’s professional basketball into Tennessee.”
The ownership group has also committed to developing a world-class practice facility for the WNBA franchise as part of its bid. Describing the construction project as a facility that “would also be used as the centrepiece for the franchise’s
community relations efforts.”
“Nashville is a great sports city, and the state of Tennessee is no stranger to great women’s basketball,” said Nashville mayor Freddie O’Connell. “The Haslams have stepped up to make a competitive bid for a WNBA franchise. A professional women’s sports team is the missing piece of Nashville’s landscape, and I’m thrilled with the possibility of adding to our great sports environment.”
Notable named partners in the expansion currently include musical artists Tim McGraw and Faith Hill along with WNBA legend Candace Parker. The three-time champion also won two titles with the University of Tennessee during her collegiate career.
Also joining the bid is NFL Hall of Famer Peyton Manning who played quarterback for the Volunteers during his college days.
Should the bid be successful, the Summitt would be the WNBA’s 16th franchise. The Golden State Valkyries are set to begin play this summer for their inaugural season while the Toronto Tempo and Portland’s WNBA franchise (yet to announce an official name) will join the action in 2026.
The league has been growing at a rapid pace — bringing a franchise to Music City would mark the fourth approved bid by the WNBA in the span of two years.