Wolverine Digest

Chris Webber and Jared Goff headline efforts to bring the WNBA back to Detroit

The WNBA has a storied championship history in Detroit, the two legends are trying to revive that history
Jerred Johnson|
Michigan basketball legend Chris Webber walks out of the tunnel to watch warm up before Texas game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, September 7, 2024.
Michigan basketball legend Chris Webber walks out of the tunnel to watch warm up before Texas game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, September 7, 2024. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Chris Webber and Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff have teamed up with a star-studded group to bring the WNBA back to Detroit, a city that once thrived with a beloved women’s basketball team. The initiative is heavily backed by Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores, with additional support from current Detroit Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp. The group also includes former Detroit Pistons and NBA legend Grant Hill, adding even more star power to the project.

The push to bring the WNBA back to Detroit is grounded in the city’s rich basketball history, particularly the success of the Detroit Shock. The Shock were a dominant force in women’s basketball from 1998 to 2009, winning three WNBA championships during that time. Their success on the court, coupled with the passionate support of the local fanbase, made Detroit a hotbed for women’s basketball. The Shock consistently ranked among the top five teams in attendance for five consecutive years, leading the league in attendance for three of those seasons. This strong following illustrates the appetite for women’s basketball in the city, a fanbase that has been eager for the return of a WNBA team ever since the Shock relocated.

Now, with a powerful group of investors and supporters behind the effort, Detroit is making a serious bid for expansion rights to reintroduce a WNBA franchise to the city. The Detroit conglomerate is currently competing against other cities, including Tennessee, Houston, and Philadelphia, all vying for a coveted spot in the league’s future expansion plans.

If successful, this bid could reignite the city’s love for women’s basketball and bring another championship-contending team to Detroit. With such a high-profile group backing the effort, the hopes are high for a successful return of WNBA action to Detroit, offering a new chapter for the city’s sports culture and giving fans the team they’ve been longing for.

Shock
Detroit Shock Taj McWilliams-Franklin holds the WNBA championship trophy after they defeated San Antonio 76-60 at the Convocation Center on the Eastern Michigan University Campus on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008. | Mandi Wright / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Jerred Johnson
JERRED JOHNSON

Jerred Johnson has served in the United States military for over 23 years. He has a Bachelors in Marketing, a Masters in Management and is in the final phases of completing his Doctorate in Business Administration.

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