In new comments, Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta confirmed his interest in bringing the WNBA back to the city and said he plans to register his interest with the league in the coming weeks. From 1997 through 2008, Houston was home to the now-shuttered Comets.
“I feel like WNBA expansion is going to always work better and has a better chance of success in a city like Houston, where the Rockets are one of the strong [NBA] teams from a financial standpoint,” Fertitta said in a recent interview with the Houston Chronicle. “I think that I would probably be the natural owner.”
A WNBA spokeswoman declined to say whether Fertitta’s outreach to the league had taken place yet, according to the Chronicle.
The complete story, which includes editorial commentary on the merits of bringing the WNBA back to Houston, can be read here.
#Editorial: The WNBA is expanding and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is interested in reviving the Comets, one of the best basketball teams the city's ever seen.https://t.co/abEo1yfetz
— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) April 30, 2024
In recent weeks, reports have also emerged that Fertitta would like to bring a National Hockey League (NHL) franchise to Houston.
Toyota Center, which hosts the Rockets, would presumably be the home of any WNBA or NHL franchise addition. Beyond the Rockets, the arena hosts numerous concerts and other entertainment events, but there is no full-time team occupant during non-NBA months.
