WNBA players want to play here, but their choice will not see expansion.
WNBA Players’ Favorite Expansion City Unfortunately Left Without a Team originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The WNBA is expanding, but not exactly in the direction many of its players were hoping for.
In a recent player survey conducted around the time of the league’s expansion announcement, one city stood out clearly as the top choice among players for a new franchise: Miami. It wasn’t even close.
Miami received 37 percent of the vote, far outpacing any other potential destination. Yet, when the WNBA revealed that Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia would be awarded expansion teams, Miami was nowhere on the list.
Players were candid about their preference for the Magic City, citing everything from climate and culture to geography and fan potential.
“It would be so nice to travel [to Miami] in the summer,” one player said.
Another called it a “tropical destination.” Others emphasized how Miami would fill a major gap in the league’s southeastern footprint.
As one player put it, “Atlanta is in an eight-state radius of the next WNBA team. So somewhere else in the Southeast or that area. A Nashville, Miami or South Carolina. We need more basketball around there.”
After more than a decade of staying stagnant at 12 teams, the WNBA will have welcomed five new teams by 2030.
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 16, 2025
Miami was the next clear favorite voted on by the players, but what other cities were considered?
Read more in our anonymous player poll:https://t.co/FUiaCPT3Zw
Miami not only offers a warm-weather appeal but also represents a massive media market with strong sports infrastructure and a large, diverse fan base. It also happens to be the headquarters of Unrivaled, a player-founded league aimed at elevating women's basketball visibility during the WNBA offseason.
Other popular player picks included Nashville, Charlotte and Boston. Nashville came in second and submitted a bid during the league’s most recent expansion process. Boston, tied for third, hosted a sold-out WNBA game this season but remains a long shot while the Connecticut Sun franchise remains active in the region.
Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia may offer strong markets in their own right, but the lukewarm response from players suggests that the league’s choices did not fully align with the athletes' sentiments.
For now, Miami remains on the outside looking in. But given the overwhelming player support, fan enthusiasm and its strategic location, it may just be a matter of time before the WNBA makes its way to South Florida.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
