Is Austin Getting a WNBA Team?

The WNBA finals are in full swing, with the Las Vegas Aces leading two games to one over the New York Liberty. The two teams are set to go head-to-head again on Wednesday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. As the current season continues, the league is already looking ahead to the future. Established in 1996, the WNBA is considering expanding to the next market. Earlier this month, WNBA officials announced that the Bay Area will be the home of a new expansion team, starting in 2025. The league’s Commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, has expressed interest in adding another team to the league by 2025, with Austin being one of the cities under consideration.

According to Front Office Sports, Engelbert said, “We need to be in some big cities in this country where all our data and information shows there’s some great markets for WNBA basketball.” In addition to Austin, other cities being considered include Toronto, Denver, Charlotte, Nashville, Philadelphia, and Portland.

Out of those cities, only Nashville and Austin lack NBA teams, with Austin being the only one without a “big four” sports team. It’s important to note that Austin is the largest city in the country that doesn’t host an NBA, NFL, MLB, or NHL franchise. As a growing metropolis that recently welcomed an MLS club in 2021, Austin appears to be a ripe environment for new sports teams like the WNBA.

The lack of market competition and the presence of major tech companies in Austin could make it an attractive option for the league and a potential team owner. In fact, the city’s new Moody Center could potentially host an Austin-based franchise. This is evident from the fact that the San Antonio Spurs played two regular season games in the venue this past spring and will return for a pair of matchups this March.

The WNBA also shows promise for the capital city economy, as it has seen a significant increase in national interest this year. With breakout stars like Sabrina Ionescu drawing attention, viewership has jumped 21 percent and attendance has risen 16 percent over the previous year. The league has also witnessed boosts in social media engagement and sports betting action. According to Nielsen, women’s sports in general are experiencing significant growth, including basketball, soccer, and collegiate sports.

Commissioner Engelbert has hinted that the league could announce another expansion team by the end of this year. It’s important to note that many WNBA teams have NBA counterparts. Austin’s NBA territory rights belong to the San Antonio Spurs, and their involvement in negotiations for a new WNBA team could also lead to fun naming and branding opportunities for a new team. Perhaps the “Austin Lariats” has a nice ring to it.