The city’s new WNBA team, the Toronto Tempo, is nearing its inaugural season and single-game tickets are going on sale, with none hotter than Aug. 18 when Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever are in town.
Single-game tickets now available for select matchups in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver as part of what the Tempo is calling its “Cross-Canada Series.” An attempt to have to team be seen, like the Raptors and Blue Jays, as one that represents the entire country, as well as, bring the best women’s basketball in the world to other cities.
Two games will be held at Montreal’s Bell Centre on July 10 and 12, followed by another two at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena on August 21 and 23.
This also means Toronto basketball fans will miss the opportunity to see WNBA stars Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings and Sabrina Ionescu and Breanne Stewart of the New York Liberty.
The Tempo will face the Dallas Wings and New York Liberty in what will be the first-ever WNBA games at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
In Vancouver, the team will meet fellow expansion side Portland Fire and the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces.
“From day one, our vision has been to build Canada’s team,” said team president Teresa Resch in a statement, emphasizing the importance of connecting with fans nationwide. “Bringing Tempo basketball to these cities is about more than games—it’s about growing the sport.”
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The Tempo will play Clark’s Fever team on two other occasions one in Indiana on June 16 and a second game back in Toronto at Coca-Cola Coliseum on Sept. 18.
Since the joined the WNBA two seasons ago, Clark has helped propel the league to newer and greater heights. There are times when home teams have actually moved to larger facilities, such as Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, when she comes to town to play. And, one would not be surprised if that happens here.
Although it is listed as Coca-Cola Coliseum on the Ticketmaster site for the Aug. 18 Tempo tilt with the Fever is already on the Scotiabank Arena calendar of events.
The team
Now that the schedule has been set, the only thing the Tempo needs now is a team. Although the ownership group, which includes Serena Williams and Lilly Singh, have been announced, as well as the coaching staff, including coaching legend Sandy Brondello, because of a labour dispute the WNBA has not yet held the expansion draft for the two new teams, or the college draft, or open its free agency period.
Although no official date for the expansion draft has been set, it has been reported that it will be between April 1-6. A shortened free agency period will happen after the expansion draft beginning on April 7. The college draft will be held on April 13.
For Toronto—and for Canadian basketball more broadly—the countdown to tip-off has officially begun.
