A Tennessee-based ownership group is trying to bring a WNBA franchise to the Volunteer state.
In addition to legendary Vols Candace Parker and Peyton Manning, the ownership group also includes entertainers Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. If the group is able to pull off getting a team to Nashville, it would be named after legendary Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt. The team would be called the Tennessee Summitt.
“We believe a WNBA team, based in Nashville, could serve as a beacon for girls and women, young and old, across Tennessee, while also creating more opportunities for sports fans as our community continues to grow,” said former Tennessee governor Bill Haslam, who is leading the group in the WNBA expansion bid.
Haslam submitted Tennessee’s bid to the WNBA on Thursday for a franchise that would begin playing in 2028.
The Nashville bid features a plan to build a practice facility for the WNBA team that also would be used for youth basketball.
Parker said in a statement: “Tennessee is the DNA of everything women’s basketball stands for.” The 3-time WNBA champion followed with a lengthy Instagram post on what it means to her working to bring a WNBA team to Tennessee and honor Summitt’s legacy in a place she called special and considers home.
Summitt, who won 8 national championships, passed away in 2016.
