Cleveland's WNBA expansion franchise unveiled its name Tuesday morning at Rocket Arena with a large crowd of fans waiting in anticipation. The team will be known as the Cleveland Sirens.
By late morning, the franchise website had switched over. The name appears on the front office page, on the fan fest listing, and on a retail sweepstakes.
The Sirens are the WNBA's 16th franchise. They are scheduled to begin play in 2028.
Rock Entertainment Group owns the team. The Dan Gilbert company also operates the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Cleveland Charge, and the Cleveland Monsters. Nic Barlage is the CEO. Allison Howard is president of business operations. Kiersten Green is vice president of ticket sales and service. Tamzin Barroilhet is senior vice president of corporate partnerships and commercial strategy.
Home games will be played at Rocket Arena. The building seats 19,432. Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence will become the team's exclusive training and practice facility after the Cavaliers move into the Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center in 2027.
Seven Trademarks and a Sand Sculpture
In May, an entity associated with the franchise submitted trademark applications for seven names: Sirens, Novas, Riveters, Crown, Founders, Racers, and Breakers, under the name CLE Travel Sports, LLC.
Last fall, season-ticket depositors received a survey asking what to call the team. It listed Founders, Crown, Rockers, Novas, Riveters, and Sirens.
In October, Rock Entertainment Group gave a statement on the process to Crain's Cleveland Business.
"We continue to develop our Cleveland WNBA brand identity through a thoughtful, inclusive process that blends our fans' insights and perspectives, while positioning this team for the future. At this stage, we have not made any determinations," the team said. "Our brand identity, including the name and logo, will be unveiled in early 2026."
A sand sculpture reading "HEAR THE CALL" appeared at Edgewater Beach on Friday, ahead of Saturday's Sand Fest. A light blue and white basketball sat next to it. On Monday night, the Cavaliers, Monsters, and Charge each posted water-themed teaser videos. The franchise branding is inspired by Lake Erie.
The Golden State Valkyries take their name from Norse mythology. Toronto revealed the Tempo name and logo in 2024. Portland went with the Fire, the name the city carried from 2000 to 2002.
The scene inside Rocket Arena after the official announcement of the Cleveland Sirens team name and logo.
— Colin Salao (@colincsalao) August 4, 2026
c/o @thejeremyobrien https://t.co/9s7FtqKqLj pic.twitter.com/QhkDSc9vBj
The Rockers, 1997 to 2003
Cleveland received one of the WNBA's eight original franchises in October 1996. The Rockers took their nickname from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The team folded in 2003 after the Gund family decided against continuing to operate it and no local ownership was found. Players were distributed in a dispersal draft in January 2004. Seven seasons produced a 108-112 record.
The Cleveland Rockers trademark belongs to the owner and president of the Women's Basketball League. That league has not launched.
Founding Partners and Season-Ticket Deposits
KeyBank was announced as a founding partner on July 14. Progressive followed on July 21. Cleveland Clinic followed on July 29. Progressive holds the jersey patch, including the chest and abdomen placements. Meanwhile, Cleveland Clinic is the official healthcare partner and sports medicine provider.
Additionally, nearly 9,000 season-ticket down payments have been placed, according to News 5 Cleveland.
Barlage spoke about the franchise at the league's expansion announcement in June 2025.
"For Cleveland, this is more than basketball. This is an opportunity for us to create a platform to unite our community and our great state. We can't wait to be a beacon of hope and aspiration for all the girls and women that look up to players in the WNBA," Barlage said.
Detroit begins play in 2029. Philadelphia follows in 2030. The WNBA and NBA Boards of Governors approved all three expansion franchises on April 9, 2026.
🔗: https://t.co/cOQqhVkHbL
— clevelanddotcom (@clevelanddotcom) August 4, 2026
Cleveland, meet your newest hometown team: the Sirens. The Lake Erie-inspired WNBA franchise begins play in 2028. //🎞️➡️ https://t.co/a4YA4W2Cro // #ClevelandSirens #WNBA #ClevelandSports #WNBACleveland #NortheastOhio pic.twitter.com/RzZV8Dt7hE
Fan Fest at Edgewater Park
Saturday features a brand celebration at Edgewater Park, hosted by Progressive, from noon to 5 p.m. The Center Court will have a team shop showcasing the Sirens x Round 21 collection. Local DJs will perform on a stage located on the beach.
Editor's Pick
2026 WNBA Rivals Week: 6 Matchups to Watch