The franchise could also raise the city's profile as a major sports town. The proposal for a WNBA team named the Tennessee Summitt comes as the popularity of the sport is skyrocketing and as Nashville solidifies its status as a cultural and economic engine in the Southeast.

News of the Nashville bid comes in the midst of a growth period in the WNBA, which intends to expand to 16 teams by 2028.

After years of talk but little action, the 76ers told The Inquirer on Friday that they’ve made an official bid to bring a WNBA team to town. The bid has been expected ever since the Sixers and Comcast Spectacor struck a deal to abandon the team’s controversial plans to build an arena on Market Street in Center City and instead jointly build and operate a new venue in the sports complex.