Nashville lands first pro women’s basketball franchise, set to debut in 2027

NASHVILLE, TN - Nashville has been awarded an expansion franchise in the UPSHOT League, a new women’s professional basketball league created as a developmental pathway for the WNBA. The Nashville team is expected to begin play in May 2027, playing 17 home games annually at Vanderbilt University’s Memorial Gymnasium.

League and team leadership say the move represents more than one new franchise—it’s part of an effort to weave women’s pro basketball into Nashville’s growing sports identity, while giving players and coaches additional routes to the highest levels of the game.

UPSHOT League was announced in January 2025 as a league designed for players on two-way contracts who are working toward potential call-ups to the WNBA. Nashville’s addition—along with another expansion team in Baltimore—is scheduled for May 2027, with officials projecting a season structure that will run alongside the WNBA calendar.

UPSHOT League commissioner Donna Orender framed the expansion as a city-wide partnership rather than a standalone sports upgrade. “Today is a celebration of Nashville as an already thriving world-known sports city,”

UPSHOT League Nashville President and CEO Nancy VanReece, a former Metro Council member, emphasized what she described as continuity with Nashville’s sports momentum—and a commitment to building future opportunity. “This is not an add on to Nashville’s sports story, it is a continuation of its momentum,” VanReece continued. “We are building something that reflects the energy of this city while creating new pathways for athletes, fans and future generations.”

Nashville has long been viewed as a national sports hub, with major league teams and a deep base of fan engagement. Leaders behind UPSHOT say the new franchise is designed to expand that ecosystem—specifically for women’s basketball—by creating additional roles and opportunities across the broader sports pipeline, including athletes, coaches and front-office talent.

The franchise will also be embedded in the community through a planned “Dribble Campaign,” described as a program intended to activate youth programs, cultural institutions, local organizations and fans.

Team leadership says the franchise’s name and identity will be revealed later—the team name is slated for July 2026, and coaching hires are expected by January 2027—giving Nashville time to rally around the project as it ramps up toward the May 2027 debut.