$14.4 B family bids for Tennessee WNBA expansion franchise backed by Candace Parker and Peyton Manning

Tennessee could join the WNBA soon, as the league is getting more and more bids to add expansion teams. After the Golden State Valkyries became the 13th team in the league and with the Toronto Tempo set to start competing in 2026, other cities have more opportunities to get a new franchise.

The W could know the city of a new team soon if they land an expansion team. The prospect of the Tennessee Summitt can become a reality soon, especially knowing the people behind this idea. Former state governor and Nashville Predators chairman Bill Haslam (whose family is worth $14.4 billion) is in front of this project, alongside Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, country music stars.

The Haslam family includes Jimmy Haslam, the Cleveland Browns owner with a net worth of $8.5 billion.

The bid for the WNBA expansion franchise was announced on Thursday, and if it gets awarded a team, it will join the league in 2028, per Adam Sparks of the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Peyton Manning and Candace Parker's fit with this project responds to their prior history with Pat Summitt, the legendary Lady Vols coach who the team is named after. The two-time Super Bowl champion was a star at the University of Tennessee while Parker was a star for the Lady Vols under Summitt.

Apart from their connections with Tennessee, their legendary careers as athletes and the project they've had since retiring can play in favor of the Summitt's bid.

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Pat Summitt's son shares thoughts about this potential Tennessee WNBA team

Tyler Summitt, Pat's son, agreed with the idea of using his mother's name to represent a team that would give the city a new franchise to root for. He says that the former coach would've been honored to see how much she's contributing to women's basketball.

“As a fierce competitor, my mom was proud of the Lady Vols’ championships and success, but she was also a huge advocate for women’s sports and women in leadership,” Tyler Summitt said in a press release. “I know she would be proud and honored to be included in the expansion of women’s professional basketball into Tennessee.”

Peyton Manning isn't the only NFL star trying to get a WNBA team, as Patrick Mahomes is also pushing to bring an expansion franchise to Kansas City. The W is growing exponentially every year and having these types of stars trying to get new teams can only benefit the league.