ATLANTA (AP)- It was more like a pep rally than an official announcement Wednesday that Atlanta was being awarded a WNBA expansion team for the 2008 basketball season.

The day after word broke that Atlanta businessman J. Ronald Terwilliger would own and operate the yet-to-be-named team.

The formalities were taken care of at a news conference in Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park amid cheers from more than 50 third, fourth and fifth grade girls from nearby Centennial Place Elementary School.

Atlanta will be the league's 14th team and second new franchise
since 2002.

The league started with eight teams in 1997 and expanded to 16
in 2002, but three franchises folded by the start of the 2004 season: Cleveland, Miami and Portland.

Also, the Utah Starzz moved to San Antonio in 2003 and became the Silver Stars.

Chicago began play in 2006, but Charlotte folded last winter.

Under the WNBA's original rules, teams had to be affiliated with their city's NBA team.

In October 2002, the league decided to open franchises to outside investors.

The Mohegan Indian Tribe was the first private investor, buying the defunct Orlando franchise the next January and renaming it the
Connecticut Sun.

Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles and Houston are also now not
affiliated with NBA teams.