No, there is currently no WNBA team in Ohio. While Ohio has a history with the league and a professional women's sports team in another sport, the state does not host a WNBA franchise at present.
A Look Back at Ohio's WNBA History
Ohio was home to one of the WNBA's original eight teams when the league launched.
- Cleveland Rockets (1997-2003): The city of Cleveland hosted a WNBA team, the Cleveland Rockets, for seven seasons. This team competed from 1997 until 2003. Unfortunately, the franchise eventually folded due to challenges with low attendance.
Current Professional Women's Sports in Ohio
While the WNBA is not currently represented, other professional women's sports have found a home in Ohio.
- Columbus Fury (Pro Volleyball Federation): Last year, Columbus welcomed a new professional women's team, the Columbus Fury, which competes in the Pro Volleyball Federation. This demonstrates a growing interest in professional women's sports within the state, though it is not a basketball team.
Here's a quick overview of professional women's teams mentioned in Ohio:
| City | Team Name | League | Active Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland | Cleveland Rockets | WNBA | Inactive | Played from 1997-2003, folded due to attendance. |
| Columbus | Columbus Fury | Pro Volleyball Federation | Active | Professional women's volleyball team. |
Efforts to Bring the WNBA Back
Despite the absence of a WNBA team, there are ongoing efforts to re-establish a presence in Ohio. The Cleveland Cavaliers organization is actively working to launch a bid aimed at bringing a WNBA team back to Northeast Ohio, signaling a potential return of professional women's basketball to the state in the future.
