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WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert turned heads over the weekend when she revealed the league is looking into adding two expansion teams in the next few years.
Engelbert’s comments have already piqued the interest of one prospective owner.
Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans noted his interest in WNBA ownership on Monday night as news of Engelbert’s expansion plan spread. He made clear that he wants the iconic Houston Comets franchise back in the league.
The Comets were one of the WNBA’s founding members, winning the championship in the league’s inaugural season in 1997. The franchise, led by stars like Cynthia Cooper and Sheryl Swoopes, went on to win the title in each of the next three years, compiling an 80–14 overall record under Hall of Fame coach Van Chancellor.
Despite the team’s early success, the franchise went up for sale in 2008 and no investors stepped in. The WNBA took control of the Comets and disbanded the team in December of that year.
Engelbert’s latest comment about growing the league opens up the potential for a franchise like the Comets to return. She discussed the opportunity for expansion when addressing the issue of limited roster sizes before the start of the 2022 season.
“We don’t want to jeopardize the momentum we have, but we understand the issue about roster sizes,” Engelbert said, per the Seattle Times. “But when you’re a country the size and scale of ours and you’re only in 12 cities, growing the league is a way to do that as well. Then you open up roster spots. I don’t think it’s about rosters per team. It’s about more opportunities to play for more players to play.”
