Baltimore's new professional women's basketball team reveals name
Baltimore's new professional women's basketball team has announced its official name, the Baltimore Starlings.
The Starlings are the fifth franchise of the two-year-old UPSHOT League, which currently includes six teams, according to the league's website.
The Baltimore Starlings team is the fifth franchise to join UPSHOT. Others in the league include the Savanna Steel, Jacksonville Waves, Charlotte Crown, Greensboro Groove and UPSHOT Nashville.
The Starlings name was chosen earlier this year in a contest that invited Baltimore fans to submit and vote on ideas. The team also unveiled the club's new logo, which shows a starling bird that matches the colors of Maryland's flag and depicts a star in the center.
A video announcing the new name notes that the logo showcases Maryland's "unmistakable" colors, while the star serves "as a nod to Fort McHenry, where the site of the American flag inspired Francis Scott Key to write the words that became our national anthem."
The choice of the starling bird fits well with Baltimore's other major sports teams, the Ravens and Orioles, the video said. "A bird for a city that knows how to show up, a team for a city that loves basketball, this is Baltimore, this is the next chapter."
The inaugural season of the Baltimore Starlings will begin in May 2027, and the team will play at the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena.
Baltimore native Sonia Chase serves as president of the team. She is a former WNBA player and was a standout at the University of Maryland.
"The Baltimore Starlings represent everything this city stands for: determination, grit, and pride," Chase said in a news release.
"Just like the flocks that fill our skies every fall, our fans, our players, and our city are strongest when we move together," she added. "This name and this logo were shaped by the people of Baltimore, and we couldn't be prouder to bring this identity to life for our hometown."
The UPSHOT League is a women's professional basketball organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. It is owned and operated by Zawyer Sports & Entertainment.