Cleveland’s Future WNBA Team Hits Major Pledge Months Early

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland's future WNBA franchise announced Wednesday that it has fulfilled a significant community pledge three months ahead of schedule after hosting 28 unique events for more than 2,600 girls and young women across three states. The initiative, which began in September 2025, engaged 2,665 participants between the ages of 8 and 17 in Ohio, western Pennsylvania and western New York. The pledge was first announced last fall during a press conference confirming the team's expansion. The final event in the series was an all-girls youth clinic held Wednesday at Rocket Arena, the future downtown home of the WNBA's 16th franchise. The clinic hosted 60 participants ages 8-14. "Today is both a celebration of an achievement and a powerful step forward in our mission to build the most inclusive brand in sports," said Allison Howard, the Cleveland WNBA president of business operations, in a statement. "We will continue to show up, listen and connect with our community as we create real opportunities for girls and young women to grow." Over the past seven months, the organization coordinated female-focused basketball camps, clinics, coach training and professional development experiences. To deliver the programming, the franchise collaborated with 17 community partners, including the city of Cleveland and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. The WNBA first announced June 30, 2025, that Cleveland would be awarded an expansion team. Operated by Rock Entertainment Group, the team is set to begin play during the 2028 season. While the initial pledge is complete, the team confirmed its outreach will continue, with the next event scheduled for March 27 in Columbus. -------------------- At Cleveland 13 News, we strive to provide accurate, up-to-date, and reliable reporting. If you spot an error, omission, or have information that may need updating, please email us at tips@cleveland13news.com. As a community-driven news network, we appreciate the help of our readers in ensuring the integrity of our reporting.