Cleveland’s WNBA Team Name Is the Sirens

The organization announced its mythologically rooted name at the Rocket Arena on Tuesday.

by Annie Nickoloff | Aug. 4, 2026 | 10:15 AM

Photographed by Annie Nickoloff

From the shores of Lake Erie, a siren song. At Rocket Arena on Tuesday, the city’s new WNBA organization unveiled its new name and branding as the Cleveland Sirens.

The new team is set to hit the Rocket Arena court for the 2028 season. It’ll be the city’s second WNBA team to exist, following the 1997-2003 run of the Cleveland Rockers.

At Tuesday's announcement, bubbles cascaded down over the arena's floor as speakers and guests — including former Cleveland Rockers players — stepped on stage to discuss the team's impact, its design and its future in Cleveland.

“The enthusiasm and support behind the Cleveland Sirens underscore Cleveland’s role in the league’s next chapter of growth and affirm our readiness for a return of women’s professional basketball,” said Nic Barlage, Rock Entertainment Group CEO, in a news release. “From the beginning, our vision has been to build a franchise that harnesses the power, visibility and opportunity that define this moment in women’s sports and fortifies the city’s momentum.”

Fittingly announced during the box office mania of Christopher Nolan’s hit movie The Odyssey, the team’s name found inspiration from Greek mythology, pulling elements from the beautiful, yet dangerous sea creatures that lure sailors to their deaths.

Lake Erie’s not a sea. And it already has its own famous mythical creature: the Lake Erie Monster, the namesake of Cleveland’s American Hockey League team. The lake still proved central to the Sirens’ conceptual development, with many nautical images being shared on social media ahead of Tuesday's announcement.

The team's colors are "Sirens Blue" and "Erie Blue," nodding both to Lake Erie and the Cleveland Rockers' colors, according to a news release.

“The Cleveland Sirens are sharp, unapologetic, fearless and relentless, representative of this region, our Great Lake and the future of our city and women’s basketball,” said Allison Howard, Cleveland Sirens president of business operations, in a news release. “Powered by unrivaled fandom and a level of civic pride found only on the shores of Lake Erie, the Sirens will sound a new era for women’s basketball while creating space for the next generation to dream even bigger.”

Beyond the WNBA, Cleveland is having a moment with women’s sports. Also in 2028, the city’s new WPSL Pro women’s soccer team, the Cleveland Astra, will start playing.

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Annie Nickoloff

Annie Nickoloff is the senior editor of Cleveland Magazine. She has written for a variety of publications, including The Plain Dealer, Alternative Press Magazine, Belt Magazine, USA Today and Paste Magazine. She hosts a weekly indie radio show called Sunny Day on WRUW FM 91.1 Cleveland and enjoys frequenting Cleveland's music venues, hiking trails and pinball arcades.