AUSTIN, Texas — Another professional sports team could be on the way to Austin.
The WNBA will expand to 16 teams and a group believes Austin would be the perfect fit.
The group, led by former Texas Longhorns national champion Fran Harris, cites things like the Moody Center, support from Texas Women’s Basketball, and how popular Austin would be for free agents.
However, once the WNBA decides on a team, the cost won’t be cheap. Portland paid $125 million for their expansion team last season. The next expansion team is expected to have a $200 million price tag.
“I think the biggest hurdle is just the competition,” Harris said. “When I started talking to the WNBA last year, there may have been three other cities on the table, and now every other week, someone else is walking in.”
Nashville, St. Louis, Jackson, Kansas City and Philadelphia are rumored to be on the shortlist of other cities under consideration. Harris said she’s spoken to “the W” for the last year about Austin.
“All of those cities are real neat,” Harris said. “It’s really about who’s the most W-ready, and I believe that’s Austin.”
Former Longhorns star Kevin Durant has also been rumored to be part of the group to bring a WNBA franchise to Austin, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
The WNBA is expected to decide on a city in early 2025, with games starting in 2027.