Jared Goff, the Detroit Lions quarterback, is originally from California, but he has expressed that he is loving his time in Detroit and feels right at home. So it makes sense for Goff to invest in Detroit’s future.
Goff is now becoming an even more important part of the city, thanks to a momentous announcement. So, certainly, he is in it for the long-haul.
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff is bringing change to the Motor City.
Detroit will get a new professional sports franchise in a few years. On Monday, June 30, the WNBA announced that the investing group led by Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores, along with Goff and Detroit Lions team owner Sheila Hamp, had been approved for a WNBA expansion team beginning in the 2029 season. In addition to Gores, Goff, and Hamp, former NBA players Grant Hill and Chris Webber, musician Eminem, and General Motors CEO Mary Barra have invested in the expansion squad. How cool that Eminem is involved?
This is significant for the city of Detroit. It will be the first time the city has had a WNBA team since the Detroit Shock moved for Tulsa, OK in 2010. The Shock is now known as the Dallas Wings, and Paige Bueckers is the 2025 No. 1 overall draft pick.
“This is a massive victory for Detroit and the WNBA. Today marks the long-awaited return of the WNBA to a city with great basketball history and a championship tradition,” Gores told the Detroit Free Press. “Detroit was instrumental in the league’s early growth, and we’re proud to continue that history as the WNBA soars to new heights. Our plays will bring new energy, investment, and infrastructure to our city and the WNBA, along with extra resources to our community.”
Upgrades for Detroit
According to the Free Press, the WNBA club would have a fresh new practice facility and team headquarters on the Detroit riverfront, at the former Uniroyal property west of the Belle Isle bridge. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told the Free Press that the new expansion team will honor the Shock’s legacy, but there is no news yet on whether it will keep the same name.
The Shock were a success in Detroit, winning three championships during their time there.
The WNBA is planning expansions not only in Detroit, but across the country. On the same day, the WNBA announced that new clubs would be added to Cleveland in 2028 and Philadelphia in 2030. It was previously stated that two new teams, Portland and Toronto, will be established to begin the 2026 season.
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