Report: Eminem Joins Group Attempting to Bring WNBA Expansion Team to Detroit

As the WNBA looks to continue its expansion efforts, rap legend Eminem is hoping to be part of the charge that brings a team to Detroit.

Per Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams of Sportico, Eminem has joined a group of prominent Detroit-area sports owners, athletes and executives making a bid for a WNBA team.

The Detroit Pistons announced on Jan. 31 that governor Tom Gores had joined the investor group bidding on a WNBA franchise.

Other members of the group include Detroit Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp and quarterback Jared Goff, Detroit native and Michigan basketball legend Chris Webber and Pistons legend Grant Hill.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver told Vince Ellis of the Pistons' official website on Feb. 4 that Detroit "needs to get a WNBA team again" and he considered it just a matter of "when" that happens.

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in October the league was not necessarily in a rush to add a new team with the Golden State Valkyries set to play their inaugural season in 2025, followed by teams in Portland and Toronto debuting in 2026.

The deadline for expansion bids was Jan. 30, with Mark Giannotto and Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reporting the following day that at least 10 different groups submitted a bid to the WNBA.

Giannotto and Zillgitt added the markets represented in that round of bidding included Detroit, Nashville, Philadelphia, Houston, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Kansas City, St. Louis and Austin.

Even though the original plan for WNBA expansion was just one team to get the league up to 16 franchises, Soshnick and Novy-Williams noted the interest has reached the point where the expectation is that could be increased to three expansion clubs.

The report added that If Detroit were to win the bidding for a WNBA expansion franchise, the team would play its home games at Little Caesars Arena. The arena is currently the home to the Pistons and Detroit Red Wings.

Detroit previously had a WNBA franchise, known as the Shock, from 1998 to 2009. The team won three titles (2003, 2006, 2008) and four conference titles before relocating to Tulsa after the 2009 season.

The Shock remained in Tulsa through 2015 before relocating again to Dallas prior to the 2016 season. They rebranded as the Wings following their move to Dallas.

Eminem is a Detroit icon after settling in the city as a youth. He has frequently referenced the Motor City in his music and has been a staple at Lions games, including over the past two seasons during their playoff runs.