The WNBA is indeed expanding and potentially heading to Northern California, but it won’t be in Sacramento, the home of one of the league’s eight original teams.

Reported by Chantel Jennings of The Athletic, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert will announce the expansion teams at the end of 2022-23. On the short-list for the association’s newest locations include:

Of the finalists for this round of expansion, only one city has been home to a WNBA team in the Portland Fire. Since their exit, the Sacramento Monarchs have too left the association despite the fan affinity for the only champions to hail from the 916. As another disappointed in the 10+ year quest to return their women’s team to the Kingdom, a grassroots movement as emerged in bringing the Monarchs to Golden 1 Center and back to Sacramento again.

@WNBAtoSAC on Twitter has started the discourse once more in bringing back the 12-year darlings on the association. Providing updates, throwbacks and important information regarding the state of the league – this space has become a hub for supporters of the bygone champions to return to Sacramento.

Despite not being on the short-list for expansion now, Sacramento did make the final list of potential suitors to host 2027-2031 NCAA Women’s Final Four. Monarchs fans are continuing to prove the point that women’s basketball belongs in the City of Trees. There will inevitably be another chance at expansion as the WNBA’s equity continues to rise, and upholding tradition of the original teams like the Monarchs, Houston Comets and Detroit Shock do seem like no-brainers as favorites to re-join the league.

Kings’ owner Vivek Ranadive promised in 2014 that the Monarchs would return to the Kingdom. As moves are made within the WNBA, now is the time to invest in women’s sports – as the fans are behind the movement whenever the moment arrives.