Women’s sports expansion fees have exploded. How expensive are they?

May 14, 2026

Two new WNBA teams began play this past weekend: the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire. When those franchises were announced in 2024, their reported expansion fees were among the highest in women’s professional sports history ($50 million for Toronto and $75 million for Portland). But in the two years since, expansion fees have skyrocketed.

In 2025, the NWSL announced a pair of clubs in Denver and Atlanta. Denver’s fee was listed at $110 million, while Atlanta reached $165 million.

In the WNBA last year, a trio of franchises was announced in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia. Per Sportico, each franchise paid a record sum of $250 million. USA TODAY