The commissioner confirmed rumors that the WNBA is looking to add a 14th team by 2025, and that she has had conversations with leaders in Denver, Portland, Toronto, Sacramento and Philadelphia.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed celebrated the new team alongside the commissioner and Warriors executives.
“This is just one step further to making sure that the public understands and realizes the value of San Francisco,” Breed told reporters. “It’s a beacon of hope for the next generation and a big step forward for women.”
Basketball fans and local government leaders have long been pushing for the WNBA team. In September 2022, Oakland’s Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan introduced a resolution urging the league to make Oakland the home for its newest team.
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao was invited but could not attend Thursday’s press conference, according to Brandon Schneider, chief operating officer for the Warriors.
The WNBA team joins a growing list of women’s sports teams in the Bay Area, including the recently-launched second-tier women’s soccer team, the Oakland Soul, and a professional women’s soccer team, Bay FC, which will begin playing in 2024.
Meanwhile, the NFL Raiders left Oakland in 2019 and the city’s baseball team, the A’s, have expressed intentions to leave as well.