Los Angeles Sparks begin plans to build practice facility
On the same day that the Los Angeles Sparks will introduce their new head coach Lynne Roberts, the franchise set into motion another pillar of its future. The Sparks announced Thursday that they have partnered with Transwestern Real Estate Services to begin the process of building a practice facility.
Transwestern works with teams and leagues to acquire land and properties and provide brokerage services. The company has been part of recent projects with the Phoenix Mercury and Overtime Elite.
“We are building more than a practice facility; we are investing in the future of women’s basketball in Los Angeles,” Sparks governor Eric Holoman said in a statement. “This facility is part of a broader vision to elevate the LA Sparks as the premier franchise in the WNBA and to create an environment where our players have every resource they need to achieve greatness. Los Angeles is a city of champions, and we are determined to bring that winning legacy to the Sparks.”
For the last two seasons, L.A. practiced out of El Camino College, a community college in Torrance, Calif. The Sparks shared the space with students at the school, restricting their access to the building and forcing players to look elsewhere to work out beyond those hours.
The absence of a dedicated facility used to be a common experience for WNBA players across the league; however, the recent ownership arms race has led to most teams building their own facilities. A divide has emerged in free agency between the “haves” and the “have nots,” as players target franchises with better amenities.
Seattle and Phoenix opened new practice spaces in 2024, while Dallas and Chicago are on track to debut theirs in 2026. Additionally, commissioner Cathy Engelbert has made it incumbent upon expansion teams to have facilities when submitting bids. Los Angeles is merely following suit, as Atlanta and Connecticut are the only other teams out of 13 without their own practice facility or a plan to build one.
For the time being, the Sparks will still be in the “have not” camp, as the team has not specified a site for the facility nor a timeline for its construction; the players will spend the 2025 season in a shared space.
However, Los Angeles’ six-person ownership group contains five owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have famously opened their pocketbooks to attract stars and create a world-class organization. They have the resources to transform their WNBA operation in a similar manner, and enlisting Transwestern’s services is the first step in leveling the Sparks with the rest of the league.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Los Angeles Sparks, WNBA, Top Sports News
2024 The Athletic Media Company
