The WNBA will expand to 14 teams in 2006, adding a franchise in Chicago. NBA Commissioner David Stern made the announcement yesterday at the University of Illinois-Chicago Pavilion, where the yet-to-be-named team will play its home games.
It will be only the second WNBA franchise not affiliated with an NBA team.
"The league has clearly solidified financially," Stern said in a conference call. "This particular franchise both because of its expansion fee . . . but particularly its location in this market . . . this is a good time for us to begin the march back up to more franchises.
"I would frankly expect that we'll probably [add] a franchise in 2007 and probably one in 2008."
Stern also said yesterday that he expects to name a WNBA commissioner soon. Val Ackerman stepped down as commissioner on Feb. 1.
"That's a process that we really do hope to finish in the next couple weeks," Stern said.
After contracting the last two seasons, the league is adding a team for the first time since 2000. Real estate developer Michael Alter, the principal owner of the Chicago franchise, purchased the team for $10 million.
This is Alter's first venture into owning a sports franchise.
Until recently, only NBA franchises could own WNBA teams. After the WNBA dropped that requirement in October 2002, the Mohegan Sun Casino purchased the Orlando Miracle in 2003, renamed the team the Connecticut Sun and moved it to Connecticut.
The WNBA began with eight teams in 1997. Two teams, Washington and Detroit, were added in 1998. Two more teams, Orlando and Minnesota, joined in 1999, bringing the total to 12.
The league reached its zenith of 16 teams in 2000 with the addition of Miami, Portland, Seattle and Indiana. Miami and Portland folded after the 2002 seasons, and Cleveland disbanded in 2003.
Chicago has fielded professional women's basketball teams in the past. The Chicago Hustle was part of the Women's Basketball League from 1978 to 1981 and the Chicago Condors played one season, 1997-98, in the American Basketball League.
