February 6, 2025 | Articles Homepage News The Pistons
NBA commish Adam Silver on Tom Gores-led bid to land WNBA franchise: ‘Detroit needs to get a WNBA team again’
DETROIT — Call it a fortunate coincidence.
On the evening following Pistons Owner Tom Gores and a star-studded group of investors submitting a bid to bring the WNBA back to Detroit, a key voice in the decision-making process dropped by for a previously scheduled visit.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver attended the Pistons’ recent 117-102 victory over the Dallas Mavericks after meeting with Pistons employees and season-ticket holders. When asked about the WNBA bid by FanDuel Detroit during the game, Silver repeated what he said earlier to stakeholders. It’s not a matter of will Detroit land a WNBA franchise – it’s a matter of when.
“I was here for all three (Detroit) Shock championships,” Silver said. “I’m sorry that the Shock ever left, and it’s great that Tom and this group want to bring this back. I know several people that are part of that group. It’s a real blue-chip community group.
“I actually think it’s really just a question of when the Shock comes back. Over time, there’s going to be a lot of expansion in the WNBA. That’s a first-class group led by Tom, and Detroit needs to get a WNBA team again.”
The group of investors submitted the deadline Thursday afternoon, which was the last day the WNBA accepted bids for the league’s 16th franchise, which would begin play in the 2028.
“This is an exciting opportunity to welcome the WNBA back to Detroit and bring additional investment and economic activity into the city,” Gores said in the release announcing the bid. “For the WNBA this is home, and our bid represents an unprecedented opportunity for the league to come full circle and effect a long-hoped-for Detroit homecoming. No city is more prepared to embrace the team as a community asset that drives unity and common ground.”
The bidding group comprises a diverse and accomplished group of equity investors, including accomplished men and women in global sports, business, entertainment, media and finance.
In addition to Gores and his wife, Holly, they include Principal Owner and Chair of the Detroit Lions, Sheila Ford Hamp and her husband, Steve, Chairman of the Michigan Education Excellence Foundation and New Economy Initiative; CEO and chair of the General Motors Company, Mary Barra and her husband, Tony; former Piston Rookie of the Year and Hall of Famer Grant Hill and his wife, Tamia, a Grammy-nominated recording artist; former Piston/Michigan Fab Fiver/Hall of Famer and Detroit native Chris Webber; Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff and his wife, Christen; Arn and Nancy Tellem and an impressive array of additional sports, entertainment, media business and finance leaders.
The WNBA bid includes a comprehensive facilities plan that will utilize a combination of new and current facilities to service the team, its players and the community. Games would be played at Little Caesars Arena. The bid also includes a plan to build a new dedicated WNBA practice facility and team headquarters to allow for around-the-clock training and amenities for players and coaches, which the league has highlighted as a priority. The facility will include state-of-the-art designated courts, locker room, workout facilities and office and lounge space.
To embed the team in the community, the development will have a publicly accessible sports center that would support the formation and creation of a youth development academy. The academy will promote youth sports and address the lack of access and equity among youth sports facilities in Detroit. The vision is to build a transformative community destination that will service the new franchise and include public-facing youth basketball courts, volleyball courts and multi-purpose fields for soccer, football and lacrosse, complete with spectator seating.
If the WNBA returns, the market has proven that it will support the product. The Detroit Shock was one of the first expansion teams after the WNBA was established in 1996. From 1998 to 2009, the Shock won three titles, was in the top five in attendance for five straight seasons and No. 1 in attendance for three straight seasons, and set a single-game attendance record of 22,076 fans at Game 3 of the 2003 WNBA Finals.
In recent years, the league has grown in popularity. Last season, which saw cultural phenom Caitlin Clark join the Indiana Fever, was a resounding success. Three new franchises (Golden State, Toronto and Portland) will begin play over the next two seasons.
“Detroit is a sports town that loves its teams deeply and consistently shows up with unwavering passion,” Gores said. “At a critical moment in the growth and development of the WNBA, it supported the hometown team more than any other franchise in the league. We’re here to rekindle that legacy.”