After a hectic preseason and expansion draft, the Toronto Tempo took its first foray in the league on Wednesday, and for all money, it went quite well. Tempo fared up against the Connecticut Sun in a preseason defeat on Monday. But beyond the results, it was the feat the franchise achieved that became the talking point of the hoops community, prompting fans to react.

In an X post, CBC Olympics correspondent Savanna Hamonton shared a glimpse of the Coca-Cola Coliseum from Wednesday, showcasing a neatly packed arena during the team’s preseason opener. Hamilton later remarked that 8210 fans attended the game, as she oozed excitement over the team’s preseason attendance numbers.

“I remember the COUNTLESS times people would say that ‘the WNBA wouldn’t work in Canada.” That it was ‘unrealistic’ to think Toronto would ever have a team. Well….. well….. well…….. I’ve got some news,” the post’s caption read.

It’s far fewer than the 8627 fans who attended the Portland Fire’s season opener against the Seattle Storm. But the important thing to note is that the Fire played their game in Seattle, so it doesn’t provide a proper basis for comparison. As for the game, the team looked a bit rusty. And it is understandable, given that the bunch of players is playing together for the first time.

The Tempo had a bit less shooting power (40%) than the Connecticut Sun (53%). On top of that, the team also rolled over the ball 22 times in the game, eventually leading to a close 83-78 defeat. But it didn’t even make it to the headline as it was reserved for the staggering audience that the team was able to pull off in the game, and the fans had plenty to chatter about it on social media.

Fans Showcase Interest in Seeing Toronto Tempo’s Fate in the Official Season

“I just got my tickets to the Tempo’s game at Scotiabank Arena in June, and it looks like it is almost sold out!,” a fan wrote. 

“Being from South Carolina, where Women’s College Basketball is QUEEN, and growing up in Canada. I’m telling you right now, The Tempo will get bigger and bigger every year throughout Canada,” stated another. 

For starters, initial doubts about a Toronto-based basketball team in its early years in the league aren’t new. We’ve clearly seen it with the Toronto Raptors in the NBA since joining the league in 1995, thanks to the Canadian market, expansion hurdles, logistical challenges, and travel issues. And it’s a kind of deja vu in the case of Toronto Tempo. But that isn’t as straightforward as it seems.

The WNBA has already tasted the craze for women’s basketball in the Canadian markets. For instance, the league had a sold-out game back in 2023, even before the Toronto Tempo was formed. The preseason game between the Chicago Sky and the Minnesota Lynx that year at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto drew over 19,000 fans. Thus, there’s no doubt that women’s basketball will thrive in Canada, and, as these comments reflect, fans are also quite interested in the league’s expansion overseas.

Even WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert expressed confidence in this team’s growth in this regard. “With Larry Tanenbaum’s distinguished record of leading successful sports franchises and Toronto’s appeal as a dynamic, diverse city that cares deeply about the game of basketball, we are confident that this new team will thrive as a first-class WNBA organization,” she had said last year.

“Yeah, a bunch of clueless misogynists said that & then Caitlin Clark happened. 😯😧🫤” remarked a netizen.

Over the last few years, the WNBA as a whole has been thriving. The finances have skyrocketed, and so have the broadcasting numbers. As the fan clearly pointed out, much of it owes to the Caitlin Clark effect, which has increased stadium attendance by 200% in her rookie year in 2024. All in all, with this positive growth, there’s little reason to believe the Toronto Tempo won’t work, despite being in the Canadian market.

“If this is the reception they’re getting for a pre-season game?? Home opener is gonna be insane,” summed up a fan. 

“And this is just preseason!! 🥰,” chimed in another.

The comments make complete sense. Over 8000 fans in attendance for the first game of a new franchise is indeed quite impressive, especially if it’s outside the basketball paradises in the USA like Cincinnati and Texas. But the point to note here is that it was still a preseason game. Although the team combined for enough star power to attract an audience, including stars like Kia Nurse and Nyara Sabally, netizens were quick to point out that attendance might increase as the season progresses.

Now, that’s of course not something written in stone. But the thing is that as the season goes deeper, the pressure will increase even more, and so will the thrill of the games, which in turn often appeals to fans more. Thus, the statement isn’t unjustified, though. But for now, we’ll have to play the waiting game to see if this belief generally materializes for Toronto Tempo.

The franchise won’t have to wait long for its first home game of the official season. They will play the Washington Mystics at the Coca-Cola Coliseum on May 8 after playing another preseason game against the Minnesota Lynx in Minneapolis on May 1.