Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta: ‘It’s time to bring the WNBA back to Houston’

In a new statement to the Houston Chronicle, Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is reiterating his strong desire to bring in a WNBA expansion franchise.

“The Houston Comets helped put the WNBA on the map and the City of Houston deserves the chance to once again show how great of a place it is for women’s basketball,” Fertitta said, via Danielle Lerner. “We still proudly display the Comets championship banners and retired jerseys at Toyota Center. It’s been far too long; it’s time to bring the WNBA back to Houston.”

From 1997 through 2008, Houston was home to the now-shuttered Comets. Led by iconic names such as Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, and Tina Thompson, the Comets won the league’s first four titles in 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000. But fan interest gradually waned as the team lost relevance in the years that followed, and that eventually led to the franchise being dissolved by the end of the 2000s.

In recent years, however, interest in women’s basketball has picked up throughout the United States — with young stars such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese helping drive a new wave of fandom. That resurgent fan interest has led to improved economics for the sport and the league, and in turn, that has prompted increased interest in WNBA expansion and the creation of new franchises.

At a recent home game for the Rockets, Fertitta brought Cooper, Thompson, and former head coach Van Chancellor to his suite to discuss the bid. Per Lerner, all responded with unbridled enthusiasm and support.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has said she wants to add a 16th team before 2028, and Houston is one of several markets vying for that slot. Fertitta is leading Houston’s bid, which should be boosted by the city’s large population (fourth-largest in the United States) and the availability of the recently renovated Toyota Center as a home arena and a newly constructed practice facility.

In addition to the arena and a state-of-the-art practice complex, the Rockets also jointly own their own regional sports television channel in Space City Home Network, which would be a natural fit to broadcast WNBA games during the NBA offseason. Thus, perhaps in contrast to some other bids, Houston has ready-made infrastructure to immediately support a new team.

The precise timetable for a decision from the WNBA is not yet clear.

More: Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta updates potential interest in NHL, WNBA

This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Tilman Fertitta: ‘It’s time to bring the WNBA back to Houston’