News of the Nashville bid comes in the midst of a growth period in the WNBA, which intends to expand to 16 teams by 2028.

The chairman of the NHL’s Nashville Predators and his wife want to bring the WNBA to Music City and have teamed up with a star-filled

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and his wife Crissy Haslam submitted an expansion bid to bring a WNBA team named after legendary Lady Vols Coach Pat Summitt to Nashville.

Haslam and a group of investors are submitting an expansion bid to bring Nashville a WNBA team, called the Tennessee Summitt. The bid will be submitted on Thursday afternoon to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the league’s expansion committee. If successful, the franchise would begin play in the summer of 2028 at Bridgestone Arena.

The group led by former Tennesse governor Bill Haslam, also includes Peyton Manning and entertainers Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. The team, named the Tennessee Summitt in honor of the late Pat Summitt,

The WNBA might have its newest expansion team, the Tennessee Summitt, with people like Candace Parker and Bill Haslem placing a bid.