CLEVELAND – Rock Entertainment Group (REG) and Cleveland WNBA have appointed Allison Howard as the first president of the expansion team. Howard will lead the business operations of the team, which will play its inaugural season in 2028 at Rocket Arena.
Howard will continue to serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for Rock Entertainment Group and the Cleveland Cavaliers, where she oversees corporate and ticket sales revenue and strategy, corporate partnership, membership sales and service, venue experience, ticket operations and youth sports programming. She will remain in this role until the end of the 2025-26 NBA season, while initiating and activating the operations for Cleveland WNBA.
“Allison comes to this role with an extraordinary track record of leadership in premier sports organizations and expanding the reach of women’s sports. Her experience, coupled with her work ethic, will ignite connection with team members, fans and partners throughout our community,” said Nic Barlage, Rock Entertainment Group, Cleveland Cavaliers and Rocket Arena CEO. “Guided by Dan Gilbert’s vision, Allison’s leadership will establish the standard for what it means for a women’s professional team to be woven into its city and state. Focusing on accelerating the movement that is propelling women’s basketball to new heights.”
As Cleveland WNBA President, Howard will oversee all aspects of the franchise’s business operations. This includes culture and team member development, community engagement, fan experience and the commercial operations of the organization.
“It has been energizing to feel the passion of Cleveland WNBA fans across Ohio and to see how quickly our community has already embraced our team,” said Allison Howard, Cleveland WNBA President of Business Operations. “We’re committed to making this team a source of pride for our city and broader region, to inspire future athletes and to create an environment where everyone belongs and feels welcome. We are building the most inclusive brand in sports. Together starts now.”
Prior to joining Rock Entertainment Group and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Howard served as the first president of the Kansas City Current, a professional women’s soccer team that competes in the National Women’s Soccer League. In this position, Howard oversaw the team’s expansion in 2022, all business operations, revenue streams and culture development. Notably, she secured naming rights for the first soccer stadium built specifically for a professional women’s team, training center and front-of-kit, while increasing corporate partnership revenue by more than 300% and selling out all season tickets and premium hospitality options.
Howard will be joined by the following additions to the Cleveland WNBA leadership team. Kiersten Green has been named Vice President of Ticket Sales and Service, bringing with her seven years of experience at the Cleveland Cavaliers. In her most recent role, she led Group Sales, driving record-breaking results, including a franchise-best year for group revenue in 24-25. Joining as Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships and Commercial Strategy is Tamzin Barroilhet, a seasoned leader with more than a decade of experience in the global sports business. Most recently, she led Global Sports Marketing at Under Armour, where she played a pivotal role in shaping the brand’s international sports partnership strategy.
The WNBA first announced that Cleveland would become the home to the league’s 16th team on June 30, 2025. The team, which has already received more than 6,000 initial payments on memberships, is set to begin play in 2028 at Rocket Arena.
Fans who wish to place a $28 initial payment for a future Cleveland WNBA team membership can do so at WNBACleveland.com. For updates and more information, fans can follow @ClevelandWNBA on X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. They can also subscribe to text alerts by texting WCLE to 30594.
ABOUT CLEVELAND WNBA
Cleveland WNBA is the 16th franchise in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).The team, operated by Rock Entertainment Group, will begin play in the 2028 season at Rocket Arena, downtown Cleveland’s premier 19,000-seat venue, which is also home to the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers and AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. Cleveland WNBA will train at their own dedicated practice facility, Cleveland Clinic Courts, the premier 52,000-square-foot performance center in Independence, Ohio. Dan Gilbert is the Chairman of Cleveland WNBA. Nic Barlage is Cleveland WNBA, Rocket Arena and Rock Entertainment Group CEO and Allison Howard leads Cleveland WNBA as President of Business Operations.