Nodding to Patrick Mahomes’ $200 Million Dream, Analysts Shed Light on Kansas-Based WNBA Franchise

“It’s kind of a no-brainer to try to get a WNBA team in Kansas City,” said Patrick Mahomes last week. The Chiefs quarterback, who is also a co-owner of MLB’s Kansas City Royals and MLS’s Kansas City Current, wants to continue his life in sports as and when his football career ends. Luckily for his and his wife Brittany’s WNBA dreams, commissioner Cathy Engelbert has announced plans for the expansion of the existing league. And two analysts agree with how this dream might be fruitful for the W overall.

On The Pick Up, a WNBA podcast by Cathryn Naiker and Freddie Rivas, the hosts discuss the current state of the W as well as college stars like Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins. Naiker then says, “I like the idea of Kansas having a WNBA team…Kansas is a very popular NCAA state and they really do get into basketball there and they don’t have a team. And I like the idea of the WNBA having teams that aren’t necessarily affiliated with an NBA team.”

Rivas agrees and Naiker then also refers to how a new women’s sports team might help deal with the result of the recent elections for many. “I also think, for all these conservative red states, whatever you wanna call it, there’s certainly a lot of blue within all of them. I think it would be good for people in those areas to have a professional women’s basketball team and for those young kids to look up to.”

With the announcement of WNBA new franchise, the competition is heating up, and more than a dozen candidates are expected. This has led experts to believe that the winner could end up paying more than $200 million for the slot. And Patrick Mahomes is not backing out as he is sure that Kansas City would fill stadiums if professional basketball came to town.

via Imago

The last part echoes what Mahomes said about his own daughter, “Hopefully we get this WNBA team here. It’s for life after football, so I can still make an impact in all sports. And then at the same time, showcase to my daughter that she can follow her dream and go out there and execute on whatever that dream is.”

One interesting point made by Naiker was a WNBA team without affiliations to the NBA. And while not all current W teams have that, one new WNBA executive from Atlanta agrees with Naiker.

Atlanta Dream’s Larry Gottesdiener calls for independent WNBA ownership

Is there a relationship between affiliated NBA and WNBA teams getting into the playoffs? There might or might not be, but Atlanta Dream managing partner Larry Gottesdiener doesn’t want one influencing the other. Compared to the NBA’s 30 franchises, the WNBA is not even at the halfway mark yet. All the current 12 teams and the 13th one debuting in 2025 all have NBA counterparts. But that association is only related to teams being in the same city, and not necessarily shared ownership.

But Gottesdiener tells Front Office Sports that while sharing ownership with NBA teams “was necessary to get the league up and running…now, for the long-term health and viability of the players and the league … there needs to be more independent, dedicated ownership.”

With the WNBA now gaining more steam, things are only going to get more hectic in a good way. And all Gottesdiener is suggesting is to give the league the attention it deserves at this crucial stage. Who knows, the W might be at par with the NBA in the next few decades!