AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Could the WNBA be coming to Austin? It will if former NCAA champ and Texas Longhorn standout Fran Harris has her way. A women’s sports pub is in the works in Austin. Where does the project stand? Harris is hoping to bring the 16th WNBA franchise to Texas' capital city. She has spent the last year raising capital and working on Austin's submission packet. “Everybody projects a photo finish – but I think Austin checks every single box – location, corporate partners, beautiful arena, and best of all, a community that has demonstrated support for women’s basketball,” Harris said. Harris played on the WNBA's first championship team, the Houston Comets, in 1997. Portland was named the 15th expansion team in the spring. It paid $125 million to bring it to their city. It's estimated it could cost anywhere from $150 million to $200 million to bring a team to Austin. Women’s sports are having a big year WNBA's commissioner Cathy Engelbert said she is "pretty confident" the sport will expand to 16 teams by 2028, according to ESPN. However, Austin is not the only city on the list. Interest and revenue connected with women's sports reached historic levels in 2024. Forbes projected the value of women’s sports is expected to surpass $1 billion this year. KXAN's Barrett Tryon talked to Harris about the plans and what it could mean for Austin and if it's realistic to think it will happen here. His story airs on KXAN News at 6 p.m.