Blab Sports
Cleveland Clinic Becomes Official Health Partner of Cleveland WNBA, Launching Youth and Performance Programs
On July 24, 2026, the Cleveland Clinic announced it would become the third Founding Partner of the Cleveland WNBA, taking on the role of the franchise’s exclusive hospital and sports‑medicine provider. The deal, which will take effect with the team’s inaugural 2028 season at Rocket Arena, also extends to the club’s training hub in Independence, Ohio.
Under the agreement, Cleveland Clinic will deliver medical and performance expertise to every player on the Cleveland WNBA roster and to the franchise’s year‑round youth initiative, ELITE. ELITE is a statewide platform that serves girls in Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and Western New York, concentrating on core basketball skills while embedding life‑skills lessons such as accountability, resilience and composure. The clinic will design and implement injury‑prevention protocols for the program and provide mental‑health, recovery and sports‑medicine support.
The partnership also grants both professional athletes and ELITE participants access to the Women’s Integrated Sports, Exercise and Research (WISER) Center. WISER is the first facility of its kind to offer multidisciplinary care for female athletes at every level, from recreational to pro. The center focuses on injury prevention, performance, nutrition, mental health and overall well‑being. According to Dr. Marie Schaefer, co‑director of WISER, the clinic is “investing in the future of women’s sports by advancing research, expanding access to specialized sports‑medicine care and helping athletes of every age perform at their highest potential.”
Beyond medical services, Cleveland Clinic will sponsor the team’s regular‑season schedule, place its patch on practice jerseys and on the chest of shooting shirts and warm‑ups worn during every game, and host community wellness nights at the Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center. Located on the Cuyahoga Riverfront, the Global Peak Performance Center is a state‑of‑the‑art facility that brings together Cleveland Clinic experts in sports medicine, performance, recovery and research. Using advanced technologies and data‑driven innovations, the center will help athletes of all ages optimize health and performance.
The Cleveland WNBA has already built a strong community presence through youth clinics. Since its announcement in 2025, the franchise has run 40 all‑girls clinics that reached nearly 3,500 young female athletes. The new partnership will build on that foundation by offering a structured, year‑long program that combines skill development with health education.
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center founded in 1921. The system operates 23 hospitals, 300 outpatient facilities and employs more than 83,000 people worldwide, including 6,600 physicians. In 2025, the clinic reported 15.9 million outpatient encounters, 343,000 hospital admissions and 336,000 surgeries and procedures.
The Cleveland WNBA is the league’s 16th franchise and will compete in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team is owned by Rock Entertainment Group, the umbrella entity for Dan Gilbert’s sports and entertainment properties. The franchise will play its home games at Rocket Arena, a 19,000‑seat venue that also hosts the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers and the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. Training will take place at the Cleveland Clinic Courts, a 52,000‑square‑foot performance center in Independence, Ohio.
Allison Howard, Cleveland WNBA President of Business Operations, said the collaboration will “set a new standard for how teams prepare, deliver and care for the athletes in this league.” The partnership also reflects Cleveland Clinic’s ongoing focus on community health, research and education.
Fans can follow Cleveland WNBA news on X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and can receive text alerts by texting WCLE to 30594.
The partnership marks a milestone for both organizations, is expected to strengthen the health and performance of the Cleveland WNBA roster, expand opportunities for young female athletes, and deepen community engagement across Northeast Ohio.
Under the agreement, Cleveland Clinic will deliver medical and performance expertise to every player on the Cleveland WNBA roster and to the franchise’s year‑round youth initiative, ELITE. ELITE is a statewide platform that serves girls in Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and Western New York, concentrating on core basketball skills while embedding life‑skills lessons such as accountability, resilience and composure. The clinic will design and implement injury‑prevention protocols for the program and provide mental‑health, recovery and sports‑medicine support.
The partnership also grants both professional athletes and ELITE participants access to the Women’s Integrated Sports, Exercise and Research (WISER) Center. WISER is the first facility of its kind to offer multidisciplinary care for female athletes at every level, from recreational to pro. The center focuses on injury prevention, performance, nutrition, mental health and overall well‑being. According to Dr. Marie Schaefer, co‑director of WISER, the clinic is “investing in the future of women’s sports by advancing research, expanding access to specialized sports‑medicine care and helping athletes of every age perform at their highest potential.”
Beyond medical services, Cleveland Clinic will sponsor the team’s regular‑season schedule, place its patch on practice jerseys and on the chest of shooting shirts and warm‑ups worn during every game, and host community wellness nights at the Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center. Located on the Cuyahoga Riverfront, the Global Peak Performance Center is a state‑of‑the‑art facility that brings together Cleveland Clinic experts in sports medicine, performance, recovery and research. Using advanced technologies and data‑driven innovations, the center will help athletes of all ages optimize health and performance.
The Cleveland WNBA has already built a strong community presence through youth clinics. Since its announcement in 2025, the franchise has run 40 all‑girls clinics that reached nearly 3,500 young female athletes. The new partnership will build on that foundation by offering a structured, year‑long program that combines skill development with health education.
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center founded in 1921. The system operates 23 hospitals, 300 outpatient facilities and employs more than 83,000 people worldwide, including 6,600 physicians. In 2025, the clinic reported 15.9 million outpatient encounters, 343,000 hospital admissions and 336,000 surgeries and procedures.
The Cleveland WNBA is the league’s 16th franchise and will compete in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team is owned by Rock Entertainment Group, the umbrella entity for Dan Gilbert’s sports and entertainment properties. The franchise will play its home games at Rocket Arena, a 19,000‑seat venue that also hosts the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers and the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. Training will take place at the Cleveland Clinic Courts, a 52,000‑square‑foot performance center in Independence, Ohio.
Allison Howard, Cleveland WNBA President of Business Operations, said the collaboration will “set a new standard for how teams prepare, deliver and care for the athletes in this league.” The partnership also reflects Cleveland Clinic’s ongoing focus on community health, research and education.
Fans can follow Cleveland WNBA news on X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and can receive text alerts by texting WCLE to 30594.
The partnership marks a milestone for both organizations, is expected to strengthen the health and performance of the Cleveland WNBA roster, expand opportunities for young female athletes, and deepen community engagement across Northeast Ohio.
