The UPSHOT League, a second-year professional women’s basketball league, on Thursday unveiled the team name and logo of its fifth franchise: the Baltimore Starlings.

The Starlings, one of the league’s two expansion teams, will play their inaugural season in May at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena on UMBC’s campus.

“The Baltimore Starlings represent everything this city stands for: determination, grit, and pride,” Starlings president Sonia Chase, a former University of Maryland star, 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.”

The name “Starlings” was chosen through a contest that invited fans to submit suggestions. The mascot pays homage to the bird, a common inhabitant of Baltimore, and the city’s history as the birthplace of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Advertise with us

“This city is a sports town, and sports unites everyone in our communities,” said Greg Resh, a representative of the team’s ownership group. “The Starlings are built on that same spirit of unity and community, and I want to thank every fan who submitted a name and cast a vote - the Starlings is the perfect name for this team and in this town.”

The UPSHOT League completed its inaugural season in late August. It was founded in 2025 as a complementary domestic league for players who couldn’t crack rosters in the WNBA, the premier women’s basketball league in the world, though the two leagues aren’t affiliated.

While many women’s basketball players seek to play professionally, WNBA roster spots are limited. Many skilled players who didn’t make those teams were forced to go abroad. The UPSHOT League is creating another alternative.

The creation of the league comes when interest in women’s sports is rising. According to a recent study by McKinsey, women’s sports revenue grew 4.5 times faster than men’s from 2022 to 2024.

A Deloitte study found global revenues in women’s elite sports will reach at least $3 billion in 2026; since 2022, that’s a 340% increase. The study also revealed that 35% of the revenues are expected to come from soccer and basketball.

Advertise with us

Ahead of UPSHOT’s first season, the league announced that Baltimore and Nashville, Tennessee, would be expansion cities.

In the coming months, the Starlings will hire a head coach and sign players.

The team’s website features a contact form for season memberships. Fans can place a $55-per-seat refundable deposit to join the team’s 2027 season ticket waitlist. Parking on event days at UMBC is free and on a first-come, first-served basis.

Games will be available to watch through the UPSHOT League YouTube channel.

The league was founded with four teams — the Charlotte Crown, Greensboro Groove, Jacksonville Waves and Savannah Steel — loaded with former WNBA draft picks, including some with local ties.

Guards Kylie Kornegay-Lucas (Towson) and Shyanne Sellers (Maryland) played for the Crown and Waves, respectively. Guard Ny’Ceara Pryor of the Groove is from Baltimore, while guard Lindsey Pulliam of the Waves is from Silver Spring.