Name announced for Cleveland WNBA team: The Sirens

CLEVELAND — The WNBA Cleveland Sirens are still two years away from tip-off, but many fans are already clamoring for full-court action. The franchise, which will begin in 2028, launched its new name, logo and brand Tuesday at Rocket Arena before several thousand fans. Allison Howard, president of business operations, said the team wanted to tie the Sirens' name to Cleveland's greatest asset, Lake Erie. "(The logo) is authentically and specifically Cleveland," she said. "We are a rising tide. This team will be impossible to ignore." Howard described a Siren as "powerful, relentless and fearless." Grant Gilbert, vice president of basketball and business operations at Rocket Entertainment Group and the son of team owner Dan Gilbert, said officials started with scores of possible names before landing on Sirens. "We interviewed thousands of people," he said. Rocket Entertainment Group also conducted many focus groups. "We couldn't be prouder of the result," Grant Gilbert said. "It will be a community asset." The majority of the people interviewed stressed two things. "They didn't want to be the Lady Cavaliers," Howard said. "They didn't want to be the Lady Wine and Gold." She said almost 9,000 fans have made down payments for season tickets. They are drawing interest from all over the state and beyond. The Cleveland Rockers were in existence from 1997 to 2003 before then-owner Gordon Gund shut things down. The team lost money every year. Now, with corporate television money, the WNBA has become profitable. "This is a different opportunity," Howard said. "I've never seen anything like this. The fans are already here." She said almost every demographic has shown interest in the WNBA. However, women 18-to-25 years old and 26-34 were "resoundingly high." Studies have shown fans want to buy tickets and merchandise. Rocket Entertainment paid a record $250 million expansion fee on June 30, 2025. The Sirens will become the 16th team in the WNBA. Dan Gilbert purchased the Cavaliers for a then-record $375 million from Gund in 2005. "This is a monumental day for the state of Ohio," Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman said. "What hits me is the great energy in this building. We kept this name under lock and key. We will integrate it into our basketball fabric of the Cavs and the (G League Cleveland) Charge." Grant Gilbert said the Sirens will become a "big-market team." "There's no better place to be than Cleveland in the summer," he said. "We're going to take big swings. That's what we do. We wanted (a name) people rally around. I can imagine a sea of blue for a (WNBA) playoff game. The potential of the name is endless." Contact Bob Finnan at (440) 329-7135 or rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X.