Report: Eminem joins potential WNBA ownership group in Detroit

Count rapper Eminem as part of a group with deep Detroit ties attempting to bring a WNBA franchise back to the city.

Sportico reported Wednesday that Eminem, raised in Detroit, is joining local sports team owners, athletes and business leaders in the bid for a WNBA expansion team.

The WNBA could select as many as three teams in its next round of expansion, per the report. The Athletic reported last month that at least 10 cities had submitted bids, including NBA cities Charlotte, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Houston and Philadelphia.

The Golden State Valkyries are joining the league in 2025, with teams in Toronto and Portland set to launch in 2026.

In Detroit, the effort is being led by Tom Gores, who owns the Pistons, and is supported by the owners of the Red Wings, Tigers and Lions, Sportico reported. Others involved include former Pistons players Grant Hill and Chris Webber, Lions quarterback Jared Goff and General Motors CEO Mary Barra.

Eminem is a known Detroit sports fans, often attending Lions games. He appeared at the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit.

Financial details of the bid have not been revealed, though Sportico reported the value of a WNBA franchise averages $96 million.

Detroit has a WNBA history. The Detroit Shock joined the league in 1998 and won three WNBA titles under coach Bill Laimbeer, a Pistons legend, before relocating to Tulsa in 2010. The Tulsa Shock moved to Dallas and were reborn as the Wings in 2016.

--Field Level Media