Free fan festival coming to Vancouver hosted by WNBA's Toronto Tempo
Ever since the Vancouver Grizzlies left town, the city has proven its love for professional basketball.
And, based on Ticketmaster’s map of available tickets, it looks like Vancouver is about to do the same for the Toronto Tempo’s first visit to the city.
Canada’s new WNBA team will play two regular-season games in Vancouver next week at Rogers Arena. The Tempo will play their expansion cousin, the Portland Fire, on Friday, Aug. 21, before battling the reigning WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces on Sunday, Aug. 23.
Nearly 16,000 fans in Vancouver showed up for a WNBA game between the Seattle Storm and Atlanta Dream last season. (Mary Kessenich/Daily Hive)
“From the beginning, our vision has been to build a team that represents all of Canada,” Tempo president Teresa Resch said in a press release. “The support we’ve seen from fans across the country has been incredible, and we’re excited to bring the energy of the WNBA to Vancouver. These games are an opportunity to celebrate the passion for basketball on the West Coast while continuing to grow our game and connect with communities from coast to coast.”
Crunched in between the two Vancouver games is a free fan festival at Rogers Arena, hosted by the Tempo.
The event will take place on Saturday, Aug. 22 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., featuring events for the entire family.
Tempo players will be at the event, along with the team’s new mascot, which has yet to be revealed. The Tempo will be revealing their mascot on Aug. 18, so fans in Vancouver attending the event will get one of the first live looks at the new team member.
Other events include pennant-making, face-painting, along with the chance to learn dance routines “from the pros.”
There will also be a 3-on-3 tournament, a spin-to-win event, and a pop-up merch store will be available.
Although tickets are free, fans are asked to register for specific time slots if they want to attend. Within the eight-hour window, tickets are available in two-hour time slots.
The Tempo had a decent start to the season considering they’re an expansion franchise. Early in the season, they were 7-5 and firmly in the playoff picture. Since then, they’ve been on a bit of a tailspin, sporting a 10-23 record and losing 10 straight games.
Vancouver always supports pro basketball. (Mary Kessenich/Daily Hive)
Perhaps a raucous Vancouver crowd could get the Tempo back to their winning ways.
Last year, nearly 16,000 fans showed up to watch the Seattle Storm and Atlanta Dream play at Rogers Arena. It begged the question: could Vancouver support its own WNBA team?