In the early 2000s, the Detroit Shock clinched three WNBA championships, bringing excitement to the sport during the league’s nascent years. With the WNBA now flourishing, there’s renewed interest in reviving women’s basketball in Detroit, and star quarterback Jared Goff is playing a pivotal role in this initiative. Since 2010, Detroit has been without a WNBA team after the Shock relocated to Tulsa, ultimately transforming into the Dallas Wings, who continue to compete today.
A significant movement to reintroduce the WNBA to Detroit is gaining momentum, led by Pistons owner Tom Gores and an investment group that includes Goff and his wife. According to ESPN, Gores and his group officially submitted a bid on Thursday to bring WNBA basketball back to the city. “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,” Gores said via ESPN on Friday. “No city is more prepared to embrace the team as a community asset that drives unity and common ground.”
He continued, “Detroit is a sports town that loves its teams deeply and consistently shows up with unwavering passion. 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.” This commitment to sports is especially poignant given the challenges faced by the Detroit Pistons in recent years. However, with the increasing popularity of the WNBA this past season, there’s a compelling case to bring the league back to Detroit, particularly with Jared Goff, who has quickly become one of the city’s most cherished athletes since joining in 2021, backing the cause.
