A powerhouse group of investors including Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp, General Motors CEO Mary Barra, Lions Quarterback Jared Goff and NBA legends Grant Hill and Chris Webber are backing a formal bid along with Pistons owner Tom Gores to return the WNBA to Detroit. [NBA]
The proposal includes plans for a new practice facility, headquarters, and youth sports complex, with games to be played at Little Caesars Arena.
If successful, it would be a homecoming for the league — Detroit's previous WNBA team, the Shock, won three championships and set attendance records during its 1998-2009 run.
Although there’s not a price tag in the press release, Toronto’s newest team cost $115 million, with $50 million of it being an expansion fee.
The bid has already secured political support from Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.
We’ll be talking about this more on Monday’s Daily Detroit podcast, so don’t forget to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to shows.