Detroit will get a WNBA expansion team in 2029, and Eminem is among the high-profile names backing the move.
The WNBA announced on Monday, June 30, that Detroit will be home to a new expansion team starting in the 2029 season. The effort to bring the league back to the city has been years in the making, and it now includes some major names behind the scenes, among them Eminem.
The ownership group, led by Pistons owner Tom Gores, reportedly paid a $250 million expansion fee. Other investors include Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff, former NBA stars Grant Hill and Chris Webber, Lions principal owner Sheila Hamp, GM CEO Mary Barra, and Detroit’s own Marshall Mathers.
“Today marks the long-hoped-for return of the WNBA to a city with deep basketball roots and a championship tradition”, Gores said in a statement provided to the Detroit Free Press. “Our plans will bring new energy, investment and infrastructure to our city and the WNBA”.
The new team’s headquarters and practice facility will be built at the former Uniroyal site along the riverfront. It will also serve as a youth sports complex, featuring facilities for basketball, volleyball, football, and soccer. Home games will be played at Little Caesars Arena.
While it is unclear whether the team will reclaim the “Shock” name, previously held by the city’s original WNBA team before it relocated to Dallas, the league says Detroit’s legacy remains central to this new chapter. During their peak, the Shock won three WNBA championships in six years and led the league in attendance.
The comeback reflects a broader wave of growth for the WNBA, which is expected to expand to 18 teams by 2030, amid record-breaking viewership, merchandise sales, and increased national attention.
For Eminem, the move is another way to support Detroit: not just in music, but in sports and community development. He has long been seen courtside or on the sidelines, showing up for the Lions, Pistons, Red Wings, and now, the city’s new WNBA team — both as a fan and a stakeholder.
