THE “Philly” SISTERS
Philadelphia’s Home
for Women’s Sports
Philadelphia “Philly” Sisters
Philadelphia Sisters is the flagship chapter of Sisters Sports Group—a proof-of-concept for how cities can transform their women’s sports presence from the ground up. Born from a few local fans tired of traveling to NYC and LA to watch the WNBA, we’ve grown into a citywide movement uniting fans, athletes, and community leaders.
We organize watch parties, host youth sports clinics, support municipal advocacy, and partner with leagues like the WNBA and Unrivaled Sports to bring women’s sports closer to home. Our board and leadership team reflect the diverse energy of Philadelphia, ensuring our events and initiatives feel rooted in the city’s unique sports culture.
Together, we’ve achieved the incredible goal of bringing the 18th WNBA team to the city of sisterly love. Come 2030, local women’s sports fans won’t need to leave Philly to enjoy a game. More female athletes will be on the court, more brand partnerships will emerge, and more camaraderie will develop amongst sports fans of all ages, genders, and orientations. And our great city will see economic impacts from WNBA fans coming to see their own teams go head-to-head with our new Philadelphia women’s basketball team.
Philadelphia Sisters is more than a fan group—it’s a living model of what’s possible when community passion meets strategic leadership. Our roots are local, our reach is national, and our vision is limitless.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
2019
The story begins
At a wedding in New York, a casual conversation turns serious. Alex Niedbalski-Sykes and Wanda Sykes chat with a friend and NBA executive before arriving at a question they didn’t even know was gnawing at them:Why doesn’t Philadelphia—a major sports city—have a single professional women’s sports team? That moment plants the seed for what would become The Philadelphia Sisters.
Shortly thereafter, the couple went on to trademark the Philly Sisters™, create the organization’s logo, and website.
2020-2022
Growing partnerships
The Philly Sisters™ founding team forms, connecting with investors and civic leaders, building their network, and presenting their vision to WNBA leadership.
The team met with:
Philadelphia Councilwoman Cherelle L. Parker
Former Senator Tom Wolf
David Adelman, limited partner of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which owns and operates the Philadelphia 76ers
Billie Jean King
Dawn Staley
Local Philadelphians
The Philly Sisters™ lobbied to get powerful changemakers on board, including:
76ers owners
HBSE
Comcast
The Philly Sisters™ raise $50 million in soft commitments for the mission.
The Philly Sisters™ create their dream-team advisory board, consisting of key players in the professional women’s sports industry, professional men’s sports industry, and local government official.
2024
Meetings, meetings, meetings
Thousands of meetings later—held on Zoom, in-person, and on the phone—public media begins to highlight the Sisters’ campaign. The team’s relationships with civic leaders, celebrities, sports executives, and local organizers who believe in the mission drives the movement to become more public—and more powerful.
2025
The WNBA announcement
The Philadelphia 76ers ownership formally submits a bid for a WNBA expansion team in January, tied to plans for a new arena. By June 30, the WNBA announced three new franchises, including Philadelphia.
Founder of Philly Sisters™ and President of the Sisters Sports Group, Alex Niedbalski-Sykes, along with wife, founding partner and board member Wanda Sykes, stand alongside NBA commissioner Adam Silver, Chairman of 76 Dev Co David Adelman, Comcast CEO Brian L. Roberts, Founder and General Managing partner of Harris Blitzer (HBSE) Josh Harris, and David Blitzer wherein HBSE and Comcast made their official bid to bring a WNBA team to Philadelphia.
BEYOND 2025
Trust the progress
Sisters Sports Group elevates its mission to help grassroots organizations across the country bring women’s professional sports to their cities.
Building an understanding of the legal side of league expansion, including contracts, trademarks, NDAs and more, which the team brings as part of its expertise to other cities ready to launch their professional women’s sports era.
PARTNER WITH US
We partner with mayors, tourism boards, community advocates, and corporate sponsors to mobilize local leadership, develop strong boards, and forge strategic partnerships that keep women’s sports thriving.
