Tampa Secures Professional Women's Basketball Team for 2027 Season
Tampa's professional sports landscape is set to expand with the addition of a new women's basketball franchise. The team is slated to begin competitive play in the 2027 season.
Tampa is preparing to welcome a new professional women's basketball team to the city, with play scheduled to begin in 2027, as reported by fox13news.com. This expansion marks a significant development for the region's professional sports offerings.
The new franchise will join the UPSHOT League, a developing organization within the burgeoning landscape of women's professional sports. Its arrival in Tampa underscores a broader trend of increased investment and growing fan demand in the sector, according to industry observers.
The UPSHOT League concluded its inaugural season recently, featuring four teams. Tampa is one of the league's latest expansion markets, alongside cities like Baltimore and Nashville, according to league information. Tampa has a demonstrated history of supporting women's basketball, having hosted the NCAA Women's Final Four a record four times, most recently in 2025, which suggests a receptive local fanbase for professional competition.
The introduction of a new team in Tampa aligns with a period of significant growth across women's professional sports nationwide. The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), for example, is actively expanding, having added the Golden State Valkyries in 2025 and two more teams by 2026, with plans to reach 18 franchises by 2030, according to league reports.
The broader women's sports market is experiencing robust financial and viewership growth. The WNBA has secured new media rights deals projected at approximately $200 million annually, beginning in 2026, while its regular season viewership has seen a 17% increase, averaging 771,000 viewers per game, league data shows. Other professional leagues, including the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), and League One Volleyball (LOVB) Pro, are also planning substantial expansion in the coming years.
The addition of a professional women's basketball team by 2027 is expected to further elevate Tampa's standing in the national sports landscape and provide new opportunities for athletes and fans alike, capitalizing on the increasing popularity of women's athletics.
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