The Cleveland Sirens history marks the return of professional women's basketball to Northeast Ohio. Set to launch in 2028, the Cleveland Sirens WNBA franchise will be the league's 16th team, bringing the WNBA back to a city that hasn't had a team since the Cleveland Rockers folded in 2003. Backed by Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert's Rock Entertainment Group, bold Lake Erie–inspired branding, and a fast-growing season ticket base, the Sirens aim to build a new legacy for Cleveland sports fans.
Established
2027
City
Cleveland
League History
2028 – Present / Women’s National Basketball Association
Team History
2028 – Present / Cleveland Sirens
Nickname
Sirens –The nickname "Cleveland Sirens" draws directly from Lake Erie, the city's defining natural landmark and a long-standing source of civic pride.
In Greek mythology, sirens were creatures whose voices called out to sailors from the water — a fitting image for a franchise built around the idea of commanding attention and drawing a city toward something new. The name also had to clear a specific bar set by the organization from the start: it needed its own identity, separate from the Cavaliers, while still tying back to the lakefront that shapes so much of the region's character.
Cleveland Sirens Origin
The Cleveland Sirens name and branding were unveiled on August 4, 2026, during an event at Rocket Arena, following a year-long, fan-informed naming process. The color scheme — Sirens Blue, Erie Blue, and an accent shade called mint foam — nods to the lake while also honoring the Cleveland Rockers, the city's original WNBA team from 1997 to 2003.
The logo itself features a siren figure moving beneath the team name, with a basketball crest riding the wave line above it, and the lead "S" in the wordmark is designed to conceal "C," "S," and "CLE" within its shape.
Championship
WNBA Championships 0
Arena
2028 - Present / Rocket Arena
Owner
2027 – Present / Dan Gilbert
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
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Cleveland Sirens History
The Cleveland Sirens history begins with the end of an earlier chapter. The Cleveland Rockers were one of the WNBA's original franchises when the league launched in 1997, but ownership ceased operations in December 2003 after no local buyer could be found. Cleveland went without a team for over two decades before the WNBA awarded the city its 16th franchise on June 30, 2025, with Detroit and Philadelphia receiving expansion franchises on the same day for 2029 and 2030.
Rock Entertainment Group, which has owned the Cavaliers since 2005, paid a $250 million expansion fee to bring the franchise to Cleveland. The team will share Rocket Arena with the Cavaliers when it debuts in 2028, giving fans a familiar downtown venue for the franchise's first season.
Ahead of the name reveal, the organization built anticipation through a sand art installation at Edgewater Park and a social media campaign built around the phrase "Hear the Call," positioning the Sirens as a franchise for the entire state rather than just the city — reaching toward Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo, Akron, Dayton, and Sandusky. By the time of the announcement, the team had already logged around 9,000 season ticket deposits, a number the front office expects to climb now that the identity is public.
Team leadership has been clear that the Sirens are meant to stand on their own. Cleveland Sirens President of Business Operations Allison Howard and Rock Entertainment Group VP Grant Gilbert both emphasized building a brand and fan base distinct from the Cavaliers, pointing to a different demographic already showing up around the team.
Sirens Achievements
Even before playing a game, the Cleveland Sirens history already includes several milestones: becoming the WNBA's 16th franchise, marking the league's return to Cleveland after a 25-year absence, and generating one of the largest season ticket deposit bases of any expansion team ahead of its debut. The Sirens name also carries forward a piece of franchise history, paying homage to the Rockers' run from 1997 to 2003 while building an identity built around Lake Erie and the city's culture.
With Rock Entertainment Group's backing, a distinctive brand, and a fanbase already engaged more than a year before tip-off, the Cleveland Sirens WNBA franchise is positioning itself for a strong start in 2028. Their story represents more than a new team — it's the next chapter in Cleveland's relationship with women's basketball.
Retired Number
*Blue is this team’s history