THE WNBA’S GOING TO 18 TEAMS — BUT MIAMI’S STILL ON THE OUTSIDE The Club

The WNBA just announced three new cities joining the league, pushing expansion to 18 teams by 2030 — and every single one of them pulled up with history, money, and biceps. The Rockers are back. The Shock are back. Philly’s finally in, and somewhere Michael Rubin is watching Meek Mill is screaming about it on a dirtbike.

The expansion teams are nothing short but a big W for the league.

But for one city — Miami — it burns worse than a sunburn on South Beach.

Not just because it’s missing from the press release. But because this city’s been acting like the W was already building a stadium between a Juice Bar and a strip club. This place has hoopers, heat, and hype, and a real hoops culture. Thank Wade & LeBron for that. And the fans? They’ve been spinning the same story for years: we got culture, we got sunshine, we got women who’ll dunk on you in a bikini and then DJ at night.

Once upon a time, they had a team. The Miami Sol. But the league ghosted them like a toxic ex and never texted back.

And now? This expansion move says it loud: here’s where we’re going, here’s who we care about, and here’s who’s allowed to eat.

Miami’s still standing outside, face pressed against the glass, watching Cleveland get picked before them like it’s prom night all over again.

MIAMI’S GOT FANS. CULTURE. TALENT. BUT NO SEAT AT THE TABLE.

This one hurts more than usual. Because there’s no logical reason a hoops city like Miami should be left out — except the one that matters most: money.

There’s heat here, literally and figuratively.

There’s talent coming out of Liberty City, Overtown, Little Haiti, and Cutler Bay. You’ve got girls growing up with no pro team to idolize, just highlight tapes of A’ja Wilson and Instagram clips of Caitlin Clark. You’ve got Erica Wheeler from Dade. You’ve got Sylvia Fowles from Edison and Horace Mann Middle School (shoutout to the alma mater). Jonquel Jones played at FGCU just up the coast. The city has even had WNBA players such as Beatrice Mompremier come from the city. The pipeline’s never stopped.

And the fans? They’d pack Kaseya Center on opening night, no question. This isn’t a maybe-market. It’s a proven basketball town with a fanbase begging for something to root for. You think the 305 wouldn’t show out for a comeback of the Miami Sol?

The Sol were short-lived, but they weren’t irrelevant. In 2001, the Sol had a tremendous season. The franchise went 20-12 and finished third in the Eastern Confernce, and had one of the best defenses in the league. Meanwhile they were coached by Ron Rothstein, played at the beautiful American Airlines Arena, and had a Net Rating of +2.8, which was 5th-best in the league.

They lost to the New York Liberty in the playoffs — but they were building something. That logo? That sunburst? Pure 2000s fire. That defense? Top 2 in points allowed per game. And the crowd? Loud.

But then came contraction in 2002. And the dream evaporated, and eventually became the Connecticut Sun.

We’ve had nothing since.

So why not us?

Because culture doesn’t close deals. Ownership does.

“YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO YOUR PLAYERS, TOO…”

Even the WNBA players are confused. The way they all came in droves to play in Unrivaled, one would think the league would listen.

 

“Man, I don’t know how excited people are to be going to Detroit or Cleveland,”sophie sophie cunningham said. “You want to listen to your players, too. Like, where do they want to play? Where are they going to get excited to play and draw fans?”

She’s not wrong. The WNBA picked Cleveland because Dan Gilbert has the Cavs and a billion-dollar empire. Detroit got in because Tom Gores wanted to revive the Shock and has the infrastructure to make it happen. Philly? Josh Harris and HBSE already run the Sixers and have state and Comcast-level backing.

That’s the checklist now:

Billionaire owner
NBA team alignment
Arena deal
Broadcast leverage
Political support

“Miami would have been a great one,” she continued. “Nashville is an amazing city. Kansas City — amazing opportunity. There’s a huge arena downtown that nobody is using.”

That’s the W’s new model: build where there’s a machine already humming. And Miami’s got the culture.

SO WHO’S GOING TO STEP UP?

If Miami wants in this next wave of expansion — and let’s be clear, the window is closing fast — it needs to act like it.

Here’s the blueprint:

Pat Riley and Micky Arison have the Heat infrastructure and could bring a team to life with one call.

Dwyane Wade is already a WNBA investor — imagine him planting a flag in the 305.

Serena Williams or Venus, Miami-adjacent legends with sports business ventures.

Rick Ross, Gloria Estefan, Mr. 305 (Pitbull) himself — all the star power, none of the commitment (yet).

You need vision. You need checks. You need a practice facility. A community strategy. A broadcast partner. Hell, even just one serious investor to say: “Let’s do this the right way.”

Miami’s got the juice behind the already built foundation.

FINAL WORD: TIME’S TICKING IN THE 305

Golden State’s got their team. Toronto and Portland will be entering the league very shortly, coming in 2026. Now Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029), and Philly (2030) are locked. That’s six teams in five years.

The league isn’t gonna expand forever. This isn’t brunch at Prime 112 — the table’s filling up.

The WNBA wants cities that can show up and scale up. Miami needs to stop acting like it’s “just seeing how things go” and put a damn ring on it.

Otherwise? The league’s gonna keep leveling up — and Miami’s gonna keep tweeting, manifesting, and watching the Shock drop merch while sipping cafecito with tears in it.

The 305 deserves better than vibes and IG comments.

Somebody call Pat Riley. Somebody get Pitbull on the line. Somebody hack into Micky Arison’s yacht Wi-Fi and tell him to write a check.

Enough is enough. Let’s bring the W back to the beach.