Allison Howard heads up Cleveland WNBA

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Cleveland’s Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) expansion team has hired Allison Howard as its team president.

The Sidney Daily News said Howard will also continue to serve as executive vice president and chief commercial officer for Rock Entertainment Group and the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers.

She currently oversees corporate and ticket sales revenue and strategy, corporate partnership, membership sales and service, venue experience, ticket operations and youth sports programming for the Cavaliers.

She will remain in this role until the end of the upcoming NBA season, while initiating and activating the operations for Cleveland WNBA. The franchise begins play in 2028.

Nic Barlage, Rock Entertainment Group, Cleveland Cavaliers and Rocket Arena CEO, said,

“Allison comes to this role with an extraordinary track record of leadership in premier sports organizations and expanding the reach of women’s sports.

“Her experience, coupled with her work ethic, will ignite connection with team members, fans and partners throughout our community.”

As team president, Howard will oversee all aspects of the franchise’s business operations. This includes culture and team member development, community engagement, fan experience and the commercial operations of the organization.

Howard said, “It has been energizing to feel the passion of Cleveland WNBA fans across Ohio and to see how quickly our community has already embraced our team.

“We’re committed to making this team a source of pride for our city and broader region, to inspire future athletes and to create an environment where everyone belongs and feels welcome. We are building the most inclusive brand in sports. Together starts now.”

Prior to joining Rock Entertainment Group and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Howard served as the first president of the Kansas City Current of the NWSL.

The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) is a women’s professional basketball league based in the United States. The league comprises 13 teams and is set to increase to 18 by 2030.

It is considered the premier professional women’s basketball league in the world. The WNBA is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan.

The league plans to expand from 15 teams next year to 18 teams by 2030, with new teams in Portland, Toronto, Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia.

The expansion is part of a commitment to growing the game, increasing opportunities for players, and bringing professional women’s basketball to new and passionate fanbases in more cities.

The Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia teams’ inclusion in the league is pending approval by the WNBA and NBA Boards of Governors.

If they are approved, Cleveland will start to play in 2028, followed by teams in Detroit and Philadelphia in 2029 and 2030, according to the WNBA.

The Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, which had been previously announced, are both set to start playing in 2026.

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