As the WNBA’s popularity skyrockets, investors are eager to get into the mix, eyeing opportunities to own a piece of this rapidly growing sports empire. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has already announced her plans to expand the league to 16 teams by the end of 2028.

The Golden State Valkyries have officially become the 13th team in the WNBA, with Portland and Toronto set to join the league by 2026. The race to claim the 16th spot is heating up with NBA ownership groups from Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Houston leading the charge with their bids. Reports suggest that the price tag for securing a WNBA expansion team could soar to a whopping $200 million.

WNBA legend Candace Parker is teaming up with Bill Haslam, chairman of the Nashville Predators, to bring a WNBA team back to Nashville. Meanwhile, according to the Austin Statesman, Kevin Durant, along with a group of entrepreneurs and a former NBA team owner, has submitted a bid to bring a WNBA team to Austin, Texas!

The new Collective Bargaining Agreement now lets NBA players own up to a 4% stake in a WNBA franchise as long as it’s not affiliated with an NBA team. Even current NBA champion Jayson Tatum expressed an interest in getting a WNBA franchise to his hometown St. Louis, thanks to this.

For Kevin Durant, who’s always exploring new investment opportunities, this is the perfect chance to make his mark off the court! But not everyone is on board with Durant’s latest move. Fans have flooded social media, voicing their skepticism about his bid alongside former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry. Let’s dive into the reactions and see what they have to say!

Fans want Candace Parker’s Nashville ahead of Durant’s Austin

Many fans aren’t thrilled about the idea of adding another WNBA team in Texas, especially with the Dallas Wings already in place. One fan summed up the frustration on X, saying, “Bruh, no. They got Dallas, they need to focus on other states.”

While the idea of one WNBA team per state makes sense, it’s not exactly a hard rule. California now has two teams with the Golden State Valkyries joining the Los Angeles Sparks, and Washington boasts both the Mystics and the Seattle Storm. So in theory we can very well have two teams in the same state but it remains to be seen if we do!

Another fan wasn’t sold on Austin as the right choice for Texas’ next WNBA team. Instead, they threw in their own picks on X, saying, “San Antonio & Houston make way more sense than Austin lol.” The thought process that probably went into this is that Austin only has one major pro team, Austin FC playing in the MLS, while San Antonio and Houston boast much bigger sports markets, making them stronger contenders!

An Iowa resident couldn’t help but dream about their state finally landing a pro team, taking to X to say, “I’d love if Iowa was on that list. Iowa would eat up it’s first Pro team of any sport, except we’ve already adopted the Fever. Now if they were to get at team, and bring CC back to Iowa 🤯.” 

It’s a wild thought given an Iowa native, Caitlin Clark was the driving force behind the WNBA’s recent surge in popularity. But there’s a reason Iowa hasn’t landed a major pro team. Des Moines, its biggest city, has a population of around 210K. As much as Iowa fans would love it, the market just isn’t big enough to sustain a franchise, at least for now!

One fan wasn’t too optimistic about Austin’s chances, breaking down the competition on X: “Have to think the NBA owners will be at the head of the line, although Bill Haslam in Nashville (Predators) also fits as a major league pro sports owner. Uphill climb for Austin—I don’t think the proposal to play at the University of Texas will work.”Others echoed the same sentiment, with one adding, “It should go to Nashville.”

As things stand, the WNBA has received more than 10 bids for an expansion team, while the NBA ownership groups of Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Houston are definitely leading thanks to their experience of managing a franchise before. The Nashville bid led by Bill Haslam and Candace Parker aren’t far behind given that they also have the experience of managing a franchise. But the same isn’t the case with Durant’s group; lessening his chances.

Kansas is also emerging a favorite with Patrick Mahomes’ backing. It is the sports-savvy towns that the fans are asking for and we have some competition.