Philadelphia is getting a WNBA team

Driving the news: The WNBA announced Monday it's expanding to 18 teams over the coming years, including Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029) and then Philly.

• Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), which owns the Sixers, will own and operate the new team, with Comcast having a minority stake.
• The team name will be announced later with input from the city's fanbase and basketball communities.

Zoom in: The team will play in South Philly at the soon-to-be-rebranded Xfinity Mobile Arena, currently the Wells Fargo Center. Tickets will go on sale closer to the inaugural season.

• A new practice and performance center will be built for the team. It remains unclear whether it will be in Philly proper.
• Meanwhile, HBSE and Comcast Spectacor have committed to building a new South Philly arena by 2031.

What they're saying: Philly's WNBA team will usher in a new era of basketball in the city, Josh Harris, managing partner of HBSE, said in a news release.

• "Philadelphia is one of the most storied basketball cities in the world and our region is home to some of the best women's players and coaches to ever grace the hardwood," Harris added. "It's only right that this city finally gets the WNBA franchise it deserves."

Between the lines: The WNBA league selected expansion cities based on several factors, like the potential for local fans, city and state report, market viability and arena.

The intrigue: Comedian Wanda Sykes was notably missing from the ownership group.

• She has courted A-listers like Kevin Hart to bring a WNBA team to the city in recent years.
• Sykes' group was still meeting with the Parker administration as early as last summer to bring a team to Philly, per city documents.

Jacklin Rhoads, a spokesperson for the Sixers, tells Axios HBSE will evaluate an ownership group around the WNBA team over the next five years.

What's next: WNBA and NBA Boards of Governors still must approve Philly and the other expansion teams.