Seattle Storm

The Seattle Storm are an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, competing in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Western Conference. Founded in 1999 by Ginger Ackerley and her husband Barry, the Storm began play in the 2000 season. The team is currently owned by Force 10 Hoops LLC, a group led by Seattle businesswomen Dawn Trudeau, Lisa Brummel, and Ginny Gilder, with additional ownership stakes held by former player Sue Bird and NFL linebacker Bobby Wagner. The Storm play their home games at Climate Pledge Arena, a state-of-the-art venue at the Seattle Center that underwent major renovations completed in 2021.

The Storm have been one of the most successful franchises in WNBA history, winning four championships in 2004, 2010, 2018, and 2020. They are one of only two teams to never lose a WNBA Finals series, sharing the record for most titles (4) with the now-defunct Houston Comets and the Minnesota Lynx. The team has qualified for the playoffs in 19 of its 25 seasons, demonstrating sustained excellence. Key rivalries include the Minnesota Lynx, Los Angeles Sparks, and Phoenix Mercury, often featuring intense playoff battles.

The Storm cultivate a family-friendly atmosphere at home games. Their mascot is Doppler, a maroon-furred creature with a cup anemometer on its head. Game-day traditions include an all-kid dance squad that leads young fans in a conga line during time-outs to the song "C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)" by Quad City DJ's. The team's entrance song is AC/DC's "Thunderstruck," and the official newsletter is called Stormwatch. The Storm have a dedicated fan base known as the "Storm Surge."[edit]

The Seattle Storm were founded in 1999 as an expansion franchise and began play in 2000. The team was originally owned by Ginger Ackerley and her husband Barry. In February 2008, the Storm were sold to Force 10 Hoops LLC, a group of Seattle businesswomen. The team played at KeyArena from 2000 to 2018 and again in 2020–2021 during renovations, before moving to the renovated Climate Pledge Arena. The Storm won their first championship in 2004, sweeping the Connecticut Sun in the Finals behind Finals MVP Betty Lennox. They added a second title in 2010, defeating the Atlanta Dream 3–0, led by MVP Lauren Jackson. The 2018 championship saw the Storm sweep the Washington Mystics, with Breanna Stewart winning Finals MVP. In 2020, the Storm won their fourth title in the WNBA bubble in Bradenton, Florida, beating the Las Vegas Aces 3–0; Stewart again earned Finals MVP. Following the retirement of Sue Bird in 2022 and Stewart's departure in free agency, the Storm entered a rebuilding phase, finishing 11–29 in 2023. In 2024, they rebounded to 25–15 under coach Noelle Quinn, losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Aces.[edit]