Cleveland's new WNBA franchise, slated to debut in May 2028, has announced that Progressive Insurance will be the exclusive sponsor for both jersey patch locations. This agreement marks the first time in the WNBA that a single sponsor will occupy both available spots on a team's uniform.
Teams in the WNBA are permitted to sell sponsorships for the upper left corner of their jerseys as well as a larger space located under the numbers on the front of the uniform. Progressive Insurance, headquartered in suburban Mayfield Heights, Ohio, has secured these placements for Cleveland's upcoming team.
"Once we heard that the WNBA was going to bring a team to Cleveland, it was a good fit for us and we kept our ears open for an opportunity to learn more about it," said Mari Pumarejo, Progressive’s chief marketing officer. "And once we met (president of business operations) Allison (Howard) and the team, we just knew that our values matched and that we could have the kind of partnership where we could help support women’s sports, the community and city."
The insurance company already has a presence in Cleveland's sports landscape, holding naming rights for the city's baseball stadium since 2008. Additionally, Progressive CEO Tricia Griffith is an investor in the Cleveland Astra, a women's soccer team scheduled to begin play in 2028.
Cleveland was granted an expansion WNBA team on June 30, 2025. The city previously hosted the Cleveland Rockers, one of the WNBA's original franchises that ceased operations in 2003. In the year since the expansion team was announced, over 9,000 season ticket deposits have been collected.
"We are definitely taking our time to make sure that we’re doing it right. But we’re excited to continue to take the feedback from people and be able to participate and do a lot of listening," said Allison Howard, president of business operations for the team. She noted that the franchise is taking a deliberate approach, in contrast to teams that have had less lead time.
The jersey sponsorship announcement is the first of several expected over the next 12 months. The team's name is anticipated to be revealed in the coming months. The owner, Dan Gilbert’s Rock Entertainment Group, has also planned a special event for August 4 at Rocket Arena.