Nashville group submits bid for WNBA expansion team ‘Tennessee Summitt’
A number of University of Tennessee legends are eyeing a new venture for their state — a WNBA expansion team.
On Thursday, Bill Haslam — chairman of the NHL’s Nashville Predators and former governor of Tennessee — and his wife, Crissy, said they were leading a group of investors in the submission of a WNBA expansion team bid. Candace Parker, a three-time WNBA champion and two-time NCAA champion at Tennessee, and former Tennessee star quarterback Peyton Manning also will be partners in the bid, per the group.
The group said it planned to submit a bid Thursday afternoon in hopes of bringing a franchise to Nashville for the 2028 season.
“We believe a WNBA team, based in Nashville, could serve as a beacon for girls and women, young and old, across Tennessee, while also creating more opportunities for sports fans as our community continues to grow,” Bill Haslam said in a statement. “In building this new franchise, we will take inspiration from the Nashville Predators and its ‘community-first’ approach to running the business. This WNBA team will establish itself as a mainstay in Nashville and communities throughout the state of Tennessee.”
The group is proposing to name the team the “Tennessee Summitt,” in honor of former Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt. It would play inside Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, home of the Predators, and as part of the bid, the group would build a new practice facility.
News of the Nashville bid comes during a growth period in the WNBA, which intends to expand to 16 teams by 2028. Its 13th team, the Golden State Valkyries, will debut in 2025 as the first WNBA expansion team since the Atlanta Dream in 2008. The 14th and 15th teams — which will be located in Toronto and Portland, Ore. — will debut in 2026.
While Nashville would be just the second WNBA team in the southeastern United States, the opportunity to be the 16th team in the league has plenty of potential suitors. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes made a pitch earlier this fall for a franchise in Kansas City. Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum is backing a potential bid in his native St. Louis. Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta said in September that he planned to submit a bid.
Additionally, the Detroit Pistons have been in conversation with the WNBA league office regarding expansion plans. The Milwaukee Bucks ownership group has submitted a proposal. And earlier in January, the Philadelphia 76ers said they would partner with Comcast Spectator to work with the city to bring a WNBA team to the market.
At her annual WNBA Finals news conference last fall, commissioner Cathy Engelbert said there were 10 to 12 cities that were viable options for a potential 16th team. Before her comments, Engelbert told there was so much positive momentum around further expansion that the league decided to pause its search to reassess where it stands and hire an investment banker to run it.
Nevertheless, as interest soars, and the prospective price tag for the franchise increases, Nashville feels confident in its bid.
In addition to Manning, Parker and the Haslams, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are also current partners in the group. Other partners will be expected to join, and though owners of the Predators will have the opportunity to join the WNBA expansion team, the two ownership groups will be different. Pat Summitt’s son, Tyler is also aware of the bid and consulted with the Haslam’s on it.
“Nashville is a great sports city, and the state of Tennessee is no stranger to great women’s basketball,” Nashville mayor Freddie O’Connell said in a statement. “The Haslams have stepped up to make a competitive bid for a WNBA franchise. A professional women’s sports team is the missing piece of Nashville’s landscape, and I’m thrilled with the possibility of adding to our great sports environment.”
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Nashville Predators, Tennessee Lady Volunteers, WNBA, Sports Business
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