The WNBA to Toronto training is picking up steam. On Monday, news broke that a bid for a 14th WNBA team could be happening, and it might have some serious juice.
When a push for an expansion team in Portland fell through in 2023, several cities were still in consideration as places another WNBA team could land. At the time, the chances of Toronto being the next expansion city were shaky due to financial concerns, but a new report could change that. Per Shireen Ahmed of CBS Sports, Larry Tanenbaum, minority owner and chairman of Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), is pushing for a new team that his holding company, Kilmer Group, would support. (It’s also been reported that former MLSE executive Teresa Resch — who had ties to the Toronto Raptors — will be involved with the new franchise.)
With Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s plans to have a 14th WNBA team by 2025, Toronto, being a legitimate contender, has some legitimacy and could happen quickly. The city has already proven that it could support a women’s basketball team with resources. If a deal can be worked out with majority ownership of MLSE, the new team would have an arena (Scotiabank Arena) and a practice facility (OVO Athletic Centre) to use.
Former Raptors VP of basketball operations Teresa Resch, who left the Raptors on Friday is said to be involved in possibly bringing a WNBA team to Toronto. 👀 pic.twitter.com/uPR9MYCYd5
— theScore (@theScore) March 5, 2024
Finally, something else to consider is that fans are also interested in having a team in Toronto. In May 2023, the city held an exhibition game between the Minnesota Lynx and Chicago Sky at Scotiabank Arena. It was the highest-attended preseason game in WNBA history and touted excellent merchandise sales.
