Billionaire looking to bring Canada's first WNBA team to Toronto
The WNBA could soon be making its way to Canada.
Toronto-born billionaire Larry Tanenbaum is looking to bring an expansion team to his hometown per a new report by CBC News’ Shireen Ahmed. It would be the first WNBA team to be based in the country.
The league currently has 12 teams, with all of them based in the United States. The WNBA was founded 26 years ago and began with eight teams but has added since then through expansion.
Each team plays 40 games during the summer months. The season starts in May and ends sometime around September.
Tanenbaum is a chairman of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), the parent company that controls several Toronto-based sports teams including the Maple Leafs, Raptors, Argonauts, Toronto FC, and more.
However, it’s been reported that this bid would not include the backing of MLSE, instead being run through the billionaire’s personal holding company.
Tanenbaum was a key player in bringing the Raptors to Toronto. He is expected to meet with the WNBA and a decision is expected within the coming months.
The WNBA played its first-ever game north of the border last year when the Chicago Sky and Minnesota Lynx faced off in a preseason game at Scotiabank Arena on May 13, 2023.
The league has also played games in Mexico and the United Kingdom in the past as it looks to expand its international footprint.
The WNBA has not added a team since 2008 when the Atlanta Dream joined the league, although several have relocated since then. An expansion team based in San Francisco, California, is expected to join the WNBA in 2025. The expansion fee for that team was $50 million.
The league’s attendance numbers continue to grow. In 2023 WNBA games averaged 6,608 fans per regular season game. Games in the USA are broadcast through a variety of networks including ESPN and CBS.
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