The WNBA is finally coming to Toronto. Kilmer Sports Ventures has been given the chance to start a women’s professional basketball team.
The announcement was made on Thursday morning at a press conference in a downtown Toronto hotel. Important people like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, rapper Drake, and Toronto Raptors star Scottie Barnes were there.
The new team doesn’t have a name yet, but it will play at the 8,700-seat Coca-Cola Coliseum in downtown Toronto at Exhibition Place. Sometimes, they might also play at the larger Scotiabank Arena.
The Coca-Cola Coliseum is also where the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies play. It also hosted the first Professional Women’s Hockey League’s Toronto team and its first playoffs.
Toronto WNBA team will start playing in May 2026. This will be the 14th team in the WNBA. Another new team, the Golden State Valkyries, will start playing next year.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said that expanding to other countries helps them reach new fans and partners. She likes that young girls and boys in different countries will get to see that women’s professional basketball is important too.
The CBC first reported on May 10 that Kilmer Sports Ventures, led by Toronto businessman Larry Tanenbaum, got the franchise.
Tanenbaum is paying million for the team.
He said, “Our Toronto sports teams are doing well, but we needed women’s professional sports. The world is finally noticing the great talent, passion, and competition in women’s sports. So, I saw a chance to bring Canada’s first WNBA team to Toronto. We’re making sports history.”
Tanenbaum team will play some games in Vancouver and Montreal.
About the team’s name, he said they will take their time and ask the public for ideas.