The WNBA91裸聊视频檚 widely reported arrival in Toronto isn91裸聊视频檛 just a good thing for women91裸聊视频檚 basketball in Canada, but for women91裸聊视频檚 sports in general, says one expert.

Several media outlets reported on Friday that the women91裸聊视频檚 professional basketball league had awarded a franchise to the Kilmer Group, which has a 25 per cent stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the owner of the NBA91裸聊视频檚 Toronto Raptors and NHL91裸聊视频檚 Toronto Maple Leafs, among other sports properties. The deal, first reported by the CBC, would have Toronto91裸聊视频檚 WNBA team start playing in May 2026.

Canadian Women and Sport CEO Allison Sandmeyer-Graves said that the arrival of a WNBA franchise in Toronto, the ongoing success of the Professional Women91裸聊视频檚 Hockey League and the development of Project 8 91裸聊视频� a planned Division I professional women91裸聊视频檚 soccer league 91裸聊视频� could have implications for society beyond the world of sports.

91裸聊视频淲e see the continued growth and development of women91裸聊视频檚 professional sport in this country as not only the potential for great commercial benefits for those who invest in it, but also for tremendous social impact in this country,91裸聊视频� said Sandmeyer-Graves. 91裸聊视频淗aving the WNBA form a team here in Canada would be a very significant positive step toward unlocking all of that potential.91裸聊视频�

Canadian Women and Sport is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the presence of girls and women at all levels and in all areas of sport.The organization issued a report on April 22 that found that two in three Canadians between the ages of 13 and 65 consider themselves to be fans of women91裸聊视频檚 sports.

Sandmeyer-Graves expects that by the time a Toronto WNBA team starts playing in 2026, the socio-economic realities of women91裸聊视频檚 sport will have evolved.

91裸聊视频淲hen we did this research back in October we found that there were already 17 million Canadians who describe themselves as fans of women91裸聊视频檚 sport. I expect that that number will continue to grow,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淭he number of avid fans among them will continue to grow as they91裸聊视频檙e given more and more opportunities to engage.

91裸聊视频淭hat and more Canadians will join the fandom, so I think that it91裸聊视频檚 tough to exactly predict what it will look like.91裸聊视频�

The WNBA did not confirm the media reports of a pending expansion into Canada but said in a statement it is continuing to explore adding teams.

91裸聊视频淲e continue to engage in productive conversations with interested ownership groups in a number of markets and the granting of any expansion teams requires a vote of the WNBA and NBA Board of Governors,91裸聊视频� the league said.

Larry Tanenbaum is the chairman and CEO of Kilmer Group and the chairman of the board for MLSE. He is a part owner of MLSE through Kilmer91裸聊视频檚 holdings.

A spokeswoman for Kilmer Group told The Canadian Press that they have no updates at this time.

Mayor Olivia Chow said in a television interview on Friday that she was aware there was movement on Toronto getting a women91裸聊视频檚 basketball team.

91裸聊视频淲ait for it. Hopefully, there will be something later on,91裸聊视频� said Chow in an interview with local news channel CP24. 91裸聊视频淏asketball, it91裸聊视频檚 just great and having role models, it91裸聊视频檚 time.

91裸聊视频淗opefully, there will be good news soon and I can91裸聊视频檛 wait for that to happen.91裸聊视频�

Although media reports in early March maintained that Toronto would have a team for the 2025 season, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said that expansion for that year had ended with a San Francisco-area team.

Engelbert said on March 7 that she was reluctant to give specific details on a potential Toronto franchise until it was locked in.

91裸聊视频淣o specific timeline, because as soon as I give a timeline and things obviously change, it becomes kind of yesterday91裸聊视频檚 news,91裸聊视频� said Engelbert. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e always said I think about 18 months out is when you need to essentially finalize things because you have to start working on a brand, Nike has to start to produce uniforms, things like that.91裸聊视频�

Canada has hosted two sold-out WNBA pre-season games in the past two years. Toronto91裸聊视频檚 Scotiabank Arena was at capacity to see the Chicago Sky defeat the Minnesota Lynx 82-74 in 2023. Edmonton91裸聊视频檚 Rogers Place was also filled as the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Seattle Storm 84-79 on Saturday.

Sandmeyer-Graves said that NBA Canada managing director Leah MacNab deserved recognition for breathing life into the idea of a Toronto WNBA franchise.

91裸聊视频淪he really sold this possibility and this potential by hosting wildly successful back-to-back WNBA exhibition games over the last two years,91裸聊视频� said Sandmeyer-Graves. 91裸聊视频淚 really don91裸聊视频檛 think we91裸聊视频檇 be having the same conversation if it weren91裸聊视频檛 for Leah and her team, really going for it and demonstrating the possibility here in Canada.91裸聊视频�

Canadian women91裸聊视频檚 hockey star Sarah Nurse said the arrival of WNBA to Toronto is 91裸聊视频渉uge.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e spoken about it a lot 91裸聊视频� when they were here in Toronto, they were just in Edmonton, sold out that huge arena,91裸聊视频� said Nurse.

91裸聊视频淥bviously I have a vested interest in my cousin (Los Angeles Sparks guard Kia Nurse), she has done amazing things for Canada Basketball and to have a professional women91裸聊视频檚 basketball team here in Toronto is gonna be incredible for the next generation of basketball players in general.

91裸聊视频淥bviously we have the Raptors and you see what that91裸聊视频檚 done for basketball in Canada on the men91裸聊视频檚 side and I think this is gonna be just groundbreaking. And so, I91裸聊视频檓 very excited to have the women of the WNBA join us as professional women91裸聊视频檚 sports here in Toronto.91裸聊视频�

The WNBA announced on Thursday that it would have charter flights starting this season, a move that would also help in expanding to Canada.

The Canadian Press