The new WNBA franchise in Cleveland has a name: the Sirens.
The Sirens, who announced their name Tuesday morning, are expected to play their first season in 2028.
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“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,” president of business operations Allison Howard said in a statement.
The expansion franchise was announced last summer and has been in the works for several years. It just happens that Cleveland scheduled the name announcement while Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” is selling out theaters across the country.
In Greek mythology, Sirens are womanlike creatures with alluring voices who attract sailors into danger. In “The Odyssey,” they feature prominently in a scene — spoiler alert! — where Odysseus instructs his crew to tie him to their ship’s mast and block their ears with beeswax to avoid being lured by the Sirens’ call.
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The franchise filed trademarks earlier this year for the names Novas, Riveters, Crown, Racers, Founders, Breakers and Sirens. In the days before the announcement, the team began teasing the name with videos on social media that featured a woman’s blinking eye, eerie music and whispering voices.
The Sirens will be the 16th team in the WNBA. The Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo joined the league this year, following the expansion to the San Francisco Bay Area with the Golden State Valkyries in 2025. Detroit and Philadelphia are in progress as expansion franchises, set to join the league in 2029 and 2030.
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