A bid for a WNBA expansion team in Nashville has been placed, The Tennessean exclusively reported on Thursday.

The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported on Thursday that Bill and Crissy Haslam; former Tennessee women's basketball and WNBA legend Candace Parker; former Tennessee football and NFL quarterback star Peyton Manning; and Faith Hill and Tim McGraw have formed a group to bring a WNBA team to the Music City.

The team would be named the Tennessee Summitt, in honor of late Lady Vols women's basketball coach Pat Summitt, a legendary figure in women's college basketball and women's basketball as a whole.

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"We believe a WNBA team, based in Nashville, could serve as a beacon for girls and women, young and old, across Tennessee, while also creating more opportunities for sports fans as our community continues to grow. In building this new franchise, we will take inspiration from the Nashville Predators and its 'community-first' approach to running the business. This WNBA team will establish itself as a mainstay in Nashville and communities throughout the state of Tennessee," Bill Haslam, also chairman of the Nashville Predators, said in a statement.

Summitt, who died in 2016 due to complications from Alzheimer’s, built the Lady Vols program into one of the preeminent women's college basketball programs in the country.

In 38 seasons in Knoxville, Summitt led the Lady Vols to eight NCAA national championship titles and 1,098 wins. When she retired in 2012, she did so as the winningest coach in college basketball history both men's and women's (a record that is now held by UConn's Geno Auriemma).

As noted by The Tennessean, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert mentioned Nashville is in the mix of possible WNBA expansion cities back in April. The Summitt would not compete until the 2028 season if approved by the WNBA and Engelbert, per The Tennessean.

"Tennessee is the DNA of everything women's basketball stands for," Parker, who won two national championships at Tennessee under Summitt, told The Tennessean. "I'm excited to be part of the group working to bring a WNBA team to the slate and honor Coach Summit's legacy."

The Tennessean reported that, if approved, the team would share Bridgestone Arena with the Nashville Predators as their primary home arena. However, there could be games played outside Nashville in Knoxville, Memphis and Clarksville — something that Haslam told The Tennessean he'd like to see happen.

If approved, the Tennessee Summitt would be the 16th WNBA franchise and the fourth expansion team in recent years. The Golden State Valkyries will make their WNBA debut this season, while the Toronto Temp and the Portland Fire are set to join in the 2026 season.

The 2025 WNBA season is set to begin on Friday, May 16.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nashville places WNBA expansion bid with name honoring Pat Summitt