Is Cleveland WNBA team really named the Ohio Wolverines?
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Cleveland is getting a WNBA team with its debut season set for 2028.
The franchise revealed a name and branding materials Wednesday, and it all left many Ohioans perturbed. Owner Dan Gilbert announced the proposed name of the Ohio Wolverines along with their primary colors of maize and blue. That's right -- the same name and colors of Ohio State's bitter rival Michigan Wolverines.
"The Midwest work ethic is a real thing," Gilbert wrote. "As someone who has spent a lot of time on both sides of the lake, I can tell you that Ohio and Michigan have far more similarities than differences. We’re hoping Detroit follows suit with its WNBA franchise and embraces that same spirit of regional unity by naming its new team the 'Michigan Buckeyes,' as Cleveland and Detroit grow the game together from the shores of Lake Erie, the Midwest’s own Mediterranean."
The franchise's team account added a post of its own announcing the news.
💛💙 You’ve been asking… and we finally made it official — name, colors, brand, everything.#TogetherStartsNoWpic.twitter.com/KgNWuPgYbl— Cleveland WNBA (@clevelandwnba) April 1, 2026
So, is it all real? No, the team account confirmed it was an April Fools' joke, with the real branding set to be revealed in summer 2026.
Stay tuned until then!
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Is Cleveland WNBA team really named the Ohio Wolverines?
