The WNBA is looking to add an expansion team to its current roster, and NBA champion Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics is moving toward being an investor to bring that team to his hometown of St. Louis.
According to Sportico, Tatum is joining two billionaires in their bid to bring the league’s 16th team to Missouri City. The ownership group is being led by billionaires Richard Chaifetz and David Hoffman. Chaifetz’s previous investments include the Alpine F1 team, Major League Pickleball, and the Drone Racing League. Hoffman is a real estate developer who owns a St. Louis Blues minor league affiliate, the Florida Everblades.
However, despite the interest in having a WNBA team in their city, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert says there will be stark competition from at least 10 others.
“The good news is we have a lot of demand from many cities,” Engelbert said before the WNBA Finals. “I’d say 10 or so, maybe even plus at this point, because I think the more people are watching the WNBA and seeing what we’re growing here and seeing these players and the product on the court, the more people are interested in having it in their cities.”
Tatum has informally agreed to invest in the potential WNBA team. He wants to contribute behind the scenes to the group’s pitch to other potential investors and the league itself.
The presentation shown to other potential investors highlights the city’s basketball history dating back to the St. Louis Hawks, who won the 1958 NBA championship. The team may have a home at Chaifetz Arena, where the St. Louis University basketball team calls home. The arena, a 10,600-seat venue, was named after Chaifetz, who donated $12 million to his alma mater a little more than 15 years ago in 2007.
