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Popularity of women’s sports on the rise and spreading exposure in new markets
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Vancouver will host the first WNBA regular-season game played outside the U.S. next year when the Atlanta Dream and the Seattle Storm face off at Rogers Arena this summer.
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The game is scheduled for Aug. 15, about 10 months before the expansion Toronto Tempo begin play in the 2026 season.
It will be the third WNBA game held in Canada after the women’s professional basketball league staged exhibition games May 5 in Edmonton and May 13, 2023, in Toronto.
“The WNBA Canada Game has been a tremendous opportunity to grow our league’s footprint, and we look forward to hosting the first-ever international regular season game with the Seattle Storm’s return to Canada to face the Atlanta Dream,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. “As we prepare to establish permanent roots in Canada with a Toronto franchise, this game and our year-round engagement efforts are a nod to the incredible momentum around women’s basketball in Canada.”
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The Dream participated in the first preseason WNBA game in Europe when they beat the British national team in 2011.
“This is a monumental moment for the WNBA, and we are honoured that the league chose the Dream to participate in the first regular-season game outside the U.S,” Atlanta Dream president and COO Morgan Shaw Parker said. “We look forward to showcasing our amazing athletes on a global stage in Vancouver. Members of our team have competed internationally, and now they will be doing so wearing Dream colours and representing the city of Atlanta.”
This will mark the fifth WNBA game played outside the U.S., with a previous contest played in Mexico in 2004 to go along with the Canada and England games. Viewership in Canada was up 175 per cent last season from the previous year and the league set new highs in the country across digital platforms, including WNBA League Pass and social media.
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“The WNBA Canada Game is an opportunity to showcase the WNBA and its talent to more fans. The Storm is honoured to be a part of this international celebration of basketball,” Seattle CEO and president Alisha Valavanis said. “Playing in front of fans in Edmonton in 2024 was a highlight of the season and we’re looking forward to bringing the Storm energy back to Canada in 2025.”
Toronto, along with Portland, were awarded expansion teams earlier this year to bring the league up to 15 teams.
Vancouver was home to the NBA’s Grizzlies joining the league in 1995 with their expansion brethren the Toronto Raptors. The Grizzlies struggled on the court until 2000 when they were relocated to Memphis due to poor attendance. A strong basketball fan base has remained in the city with periodic pleas to explore bringing an NBA team back.
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Women’s professional sports are enjoying a surge in popularity. The Professional Women’s Hockey League had a strong debut season and has announced they will play a regular-season game in Vancouver in January. Soccer’s Vancouver Rise are readying for their inaugural season in the Northern Super League.
The Dream are coming off a second straight playoff appearance in 2024 and have a roster featuring Laeticia Amihere of Mississauga, Ont., and 2022 rookie of the year Tina Charles.
The four-time WNBA champion Storm are coming off their 25th anniversary season and 19th playoff appearance. Nneka Ogwumike, a nine-time all-star and the league’s MVP in 2016, leads a roster that includes fellow all-stars Jewell Loyd and Skylar Diggins-Smith.
The 2025 WNBA season begins May 16.
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