Rockets President of Business Operations Gretchen Sheirr said that a group led by Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta will “continue to pursue” a WNBA team for the city amid news of the league expanding with three new teams by 2030, according to Vorkunov & Pickman of THE ATHLETIC. Sheirr said in a statement, “The addition of three WNBA expansion teams is a testament to the trajectory of the league and the excitement surrounding women’s basketball.” Vorkunov & Pickman wrote outside of expansion, there are “other opportunities” for Fertitta to “bring a WNBA team back to Houston.” The Sun “are currently exploring a sale, including one that could bring in a new controlling owner,” and Fertitta could choose to “take the route of buying the Sun and relocating them to Houston” (THE ATHLETIC, 7/1).
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SHOUTOUT: In Houston, Matt Young wrote Fertitta “put in a bid for a WNBA franchise” and was “turned down alongside other bidders in Austin, Miami, Denver, Charlotte, Nashville, Kansas City and St. Louis, among others.” However, it was only Fertitta and Houston that “earned a mention” from WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert during the league’s Monday press conference to announce the latest expansion. Engelbert said, “There are a variety of cities that bid, and one of those I wanted to shout out, because they have such a strong history in this league and their great ownership group, is Houston” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 6/30).
