What Happened to Cleveland Rockers?

The Cleveland Rockers were a pioneering franchise in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), established in October 1996 as one of the league's original eight teams, commencing play in 1997. Owned by Gordon Gund, who also owned the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, the Rockers played their home games at Gund Arena. The team quickly established itself as a competitive force, making four playoff appearances during its seven-season tenure and winning Eastern Conference regular-season titles in 1998 and 2001. Notable players included Isabelle Fijalkowski, Janice Lawrence Braxton, and basketball legend Lynette Woodard.

Despite their on-court efforts and a dedicated fan base, the Rockers faced increasing financial challenges. After the 2002 season, the Gund family briefly bought the Rockers from the WNBA, seemingly securing its future. However, citing declining home game attendance, which dropped from a high of 10,350 in 1998 to an average of 7,400 in 2003, and persistent financial losses, Gund Arena Company announced on September 19, 2003, that it would no longer operate the team. Efforts to find new local ownership were unsuccessful, leading to the team's official disbandment in December 2003. The Rockers' players were subsequently allocated to other teams in a dispersal draft held in January 2004. The franchise concluded its history with an all-time record of 108 wins and 112 losses.

For over two decades, Cleveland remained without a WNBA franchise. However, the landscape of women's professional basketball began to shift significantly in the mid-2020s with a surge in the league's popularity and a strategic expansion plan. In February 2025, reports emerged that Cleveland was a strong candidate for a new WNBA expansion team. This culminated in a major announcement on June 30, 2025, when the WNBA revealed plans to expand to 18 teams, including new franchises in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia.

The WNBA and NBA Board of Governors formally approved these expansion teams on April 9, 2026. Cleveland's new team, named the Cleveland Sirens, is set to commence play in the 2028 season. The franchise will be owned and operated by Dan Gilbert's Rock Entertainment Group, the same entity that owns the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Sirens will play their home games at Rocket Arena, sharing the venue with the Cavaliers, and will utilize the Cavaliers' current practice facility, Cleveland Clinic Courts, as the Cavs move to a new downtown facility. This development signifies a full circle moment for WNBA basketball in Cleveland, bringing a new era of professional women's sports to the city.