Cleveland WNBA Franchise Secures Historic Double-Patch Jersey Deal with Progressive
The landmark agreement marks the first time a WNBA franchise has sold both uniform advertising spots to a single sponsor.
Cleveland’s upcoming WNBA expansion franchise has secured a historic sponsorship deal with Progressive Insurance, marking the first time in league history that a single sponsor has purchased both jersey patch locations on a team’s uniform. The landmark agreement comes three years before the team is scheduled to play its inaugural game in May 2028.
Under WNBA guidelines, franchises are permitted to sell two commercial spots on their game uniforms: a patch on the upper left chest and a larger branding space positioned beneath the player numbers on the front. By securing both assets, the Mayfield Heights, Ohio-based insurance giant deepens its footprint in women’s sports and its hometown market.
Progressive is already a dominant force in Cleveland sports marketing, holding the naming rights to the Cleveland Guardians’ Major League Baseball stadium, Progressive Field, since 2008. The company also recently established a smaller partnership with the Chicago Sky. Progressive Chief Executive Officer Tricia Griffith is also an investor in the Cleveland Astra, a professional women’s soccer team slated to begin play in 2028.
Jersey sponsorship has become a critical revenue stream for the WNBA, which first permitted uniform advertising in 2009 when the Phoenix Mercury signed a pioneering deal with LifeLock. In the years since, corporate partnerships have surged alongside skyrocketing television ratings and attendance figures across the league.
The expansion franchise, owned by Dan Gilbert’s Rock Entertainment Group, was officially awarded to Cleveland on June 30, 2025. This marks the city’s return to women’s professional basketball after a quarter-century absence. The Cleveland Rockers were one of the WNBA’s eight charter members when the league launched in 1997, but the team folded in 2003 after then-owner Gordon Gund opted to cease operations.
The business landscape for women’s basketball has shifted dramatically since the Rockers era. Cleveland’s new front office, led by president of business operations Allison Howard, has already secured 9,000 season ticket deposits. Howard noted that the long runway before the 2028 tip-off has allowed the executive team to conduct a “listening tour” to gather feedback from local fans and shape the franchise’s identity.
Several key milestones remain on the horizon for the unnamed franchise. The official team name and branding are expected to be unveiled within the next few months. Additionally, Rock Entertainment Group has scheduled a special event for August 4 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, the downtown arena where the team will play its home games.
