Eminem is in talks to be part of a potential WNBA ownership group, according to a report.
The WNBA is debuting a franchise in Golden State this year, two more in Toronto and Portland next year, and is looking to bring the number of the league’s franchises up to 16 by 2028, it has said.
One possible city to get that 16th team is Eminem’s hometown, Detroit, and TMZ reported that the rapper has had discussions about being involved in the ownership group attempting to launch a WNBA franchise in the Motor City.
The report cited a spokesperson for the artist, 52, who is also a noted Detroit Lions fan.
The Detroit bid is currently led by Pistons owner Tom Gores and includes Sheila Ford Hamp and her husband – the principal owners of the Detroit Lions -, the CEO of General Motors Company and basketball Hall of Famer Grant Hill.
If Eminem officially becomes part of the Detroit bid, he would face stern competition from other cities trying to land a WNBA franchise as well.
Eminem is in talks to join the ownership group trying to bring a WNBA team to Detroit
The league, with stars such as Breanna Stewart and Caitlin Clark, is aiming to hit 16 teams by 2028
Groups from Philadelphia, Cleveland, Kansas City, Houston and Nashville have also submitted bids, and so too have officials from Charlotte, St. Louis and Austin.
Some of those bids are backed by star power as well, at St. Louis native and Celtics star Jayson Tatum is looking to bring a women’s team to his hometown.
Meanwhile, Kevin Durant is part of a bid to bring a team to Austin, and Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes is trying to help bring a team to Kansas City.
‘Obviously, we want to get basketball in Kansas City in general,’ Mahomes said in October.
‘You talk about the University of Kansas basketball, the Chiefs, whatever it is, the city is going to come out to the stadium. It’s cool we were able to get the women’s soccer team here and you see the support they have.’
Bids by groups in Charlotte, Houston, Cleveland and Philadelphia are led by the NBA owners in those cities.
The Nashville contingent is led by the chairman of the NHL’s Nashville Predators, Bill Haslam, and his wife, Crissy.
The couple has lined up a group of investors including Candace Parker, Peyton Manning and entertainers Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.
