When Cleveland's WNBA team takes the court in 2028, it will enter a league vastly different from the one the Rockers unceremoniously exited in 2003.

Why it matters: This time around, the yet-to-be-named team — along with forthcoming expansion teams in Toronto, Portland, Detroit and Philadelphia — can expect a larger fan base, bigger paychecks and brighter spotlights.

Driving the news: This weekend's WNBA All-Star Game will feature Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark — one of the biggest reasons for the league's surging popularity — captaining a team on her home court.

State of play: The WNBA monetizes the success of former college superstars like Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale.

• It's now the fifth-most popular league nationwide, behind only the men's big four leagues: the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL.

Flashback: Columbus saw those stars up-close. We hosted the electric 2018 women's Final Four that featured Ogunbowale hitting back-to-back buzzer beaters en route to a national title.

• Millions tuned in to see the Buckeyes host Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes in early 2024.
• The women's championship game (held that year in Cleveland) drew more viewers than the men's for the first time in college basketball history.

The big picture: Once a backwater and a laughingstock, the WNBA is now the hottest brand in pro sports.

• Owners who in the early aughts struggled to find investors for their distressed assets are now clambering for a piece of a rapidly expanding pie.
• The Cleveland Rockers were one of the league's eight charter franchises, but failed to turn a profit in each of its seven seasons before folding.

Follow the money: So too did the dynastic Houston Comets, who won the WNBA's first four championships.

• The team couldn't attract investors at an asking price of $12 million after the league took over the team in 2007.
• Ownership groups in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia have each ponied up a whopping $250 million to secure their new expansion teams.

The bottom line: Columbus hosts the women's NCAA Final Four again in 2027, but now that may feel like just a warmup.

• Soon after, Ohioans will have a new pro team to cheer for — and a local women's sports bar where we can catch all the action.

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For the second straight year, Indianapolis is hosting WNBA All-Star week festivities.

Why it matters: It's just a 3-hour drive from Columbus, perfect for a long-weekend trip.

• Resale tickets started at $142 as of yesterday.

🍽️ Zoom in: Here are some top dining spots near the action, according to our Axios Indianapolis colleagues.

• Astrea, Indy's newest rooftop bar that's just blocks from Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
• Commission Row, the bougie Steakhouse loved by Charles Barkley, is perfect for Sunday brunch.
• St. Elmo Steak House in a local institution. You can get a taste without breaking the bank during happy hour.

Go deeper: The complete guide to WNBA All-Star week in Indianapolis

☢️ GFS Chemicals, the manufacturing plant behind Monday's chemical leak in Franklinton, has a history of EPA violations and a high pollution risk rating.

• The company plans to release a statement with more information about the incident by the end of the week, per its general manager. (Dispatch)

Two Columbus Zoo lions injured each other — and one was euthanized — after a barrier failed to keep them apart, according to a USDA citation. (WBNS-TV)

🤑 Retail mogul Les Wexner has more than doubled his fortune to an estimated $10.1 billion after investing early in CoreWeave, a buzzy AI intelligence company.

• Wexner predicted earlier this year that Columbus is destined to become a hub for the industry. (Forbes)

🌰 Oops — the buckeye tree technically isn't our state tree after all. Its scientific name was misspelled in 1953 legislation and still is in the online version of Ohio Revised Code. (WCMH-TV)

☕ Trendy chain 7Brew Coffee will open its first walk-in store on Ohio State's campus later this summer. (Columbus Business First 🔒)

Columbus once had a powerhouse women's pro basketball team, but it proved to be ahead of its time.

Flashback: The Columbus Quest played in the American Basketball League, which launched in 1996 shortly after the popular U.S. women's team won Olympic gold.

• The team's logo featured an eagle gripping a basketball within the "Q" of Quest.

🏆 Columbus went 31-9 that first season and won the inaugural championship.

• League MVP Nikki McCray, Buckeyes great Katie Smith and others earned a trip to the White House.

Between the lines: Though the ABL started first and initially offered better pay, the rival WNBA had better attendance and the NBA's financial support.

• McCray switched leagues, but Columbus still went 36-8 in its second season and won another title over the Long Beach StingRays.

Yes, but: The ABL's struggles mounted in its third season.

• The StingRays disbanded a few months after the finals due to low ticket sales and corporate sponsorships. Their general manager joined Columbus, then abruptly quit — leaving head coach Brian Agler's wife, Robin, to take over the top job.
• When Agler left midseason to coach a WNBA expansion team, top scorer Tonya Edwards took over as player-coach.
• Columbus was 11-3 when the league ended on Dec. 22, 1998, and filed for bankruptcy.

The bottom line: Given the recent rise in women's sports popularity, maybe a pro basketball team could make its return locally someday.

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