Fansided

Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta interested in re-establishing WNBA presence in Houston

Before the Houston Comets were dissolved in 2008, they provided the WNBA with a blueprint for dominance. Now Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is reportedly interested in reviving the franchise.

By Zackery Rogers

Miami Heat v Houston Rockets
Miami Heat v Houston Rockets / Tim Warner/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit

The 2024 WNBA training camps kicked off Monday and on Wednesday, Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta expressed his interest in bringing the WNBA's first dynasty back.

With the Golden State Warriors ownership adding to the WNBA expansion efforts, it's a common question about which city would be next. The Houston Chronicle reported on Fertitta's interest in bringing the WNBA back to the Space City.

The Houston Comets were the WNBA's first dynasty

The Houston Comets were one of the founding WNBA teams in 1997 and the franchise was dissolved in 2008 because no buyers were willing to meet former owner Hilton Koch's $10 million sale tag. During the franchise's active years, they won four consecutive championships.

Houston was led by Hall of Famers Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, and Tina Thompson. The three superstars created the blueprint for the league and still hold the record for consecutive titles. But a new generation is bringing unprecedented interest, attention and revenue to the league.

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese may be the WNBA stars to take the W to the next level in terms of engagement, viewership, and capital. Clark was drafted No. 1 overall to the Indiana Fever and has already elevated their following on social media and helped sell out tickets and jerseys.

If the Comets return to the league, it will allow the WNBA to expand and provide more opportunities for players who were cut or played overseas. Not to mention, the Houston Rockets owner would provide financial stability.

In 2008, the former Comet's owner Koch wanted to sell the franchise for $10 million but unfortunately his asking price was ahead of the time. With NIL deals and women's basketball taking the next step, Koch would probably have no trouble finding a buyer in the current market.

As of now, Houston has three major sports teams — the Rockets, Texans, and Astros. It's a huge market full of passionate sports fans and reviving one of the league's legacy franchises would be a win all around.

feed

Home/WNBA