It was a few days prior to the WNBA Draft – and we at Beyond The W were on a pre-draft media conference call with Hilary Guy, Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo and Andraya Carter at ESPN.
Someone then asked a question that we have not thought much about – but is certainly worth pondering. It pertained to the WNBA’s growth with an expansion team coming to Toronto. Ruocco’s answer certainly raised our eyebrows.
Well, I just hope we’re still welcome there by the time the season starts.
–Ryan Ruocco, ESPN
Of course, Ruocco was mentioning the 2026 season when the Toronto Tempo are slated to play its first games with the Coca-Cola Coliseum as its primary home. The organization has also mentioned playing games in other cities across Canada.
Ruocco then went on to give an extended answer about how Toronto is a great place to be in the summer and how it will be a fun atmosphere for the home Tempo and for opponents.
That may be the case – in an ideal world. We could not help but be pierced in the heart by the first few words of Ruocco’s answer – even if it may have been a bit tongue-in-cheek.
For those that do not know, the current White House has made targeting of Canada a prime talking point of its agenda. They have even gone as far as to think that Canadian sovereignty ought to be usurped and Canada should be made into the 51st state.
Canadians have responded in kind. Canada is supposed to be the closest ally of the United States. But the attitude – deservedly – towards anything American in Canada nowadays is beyond abhorred. The numerous times that Canadians have lustily booed the American “National Anthem” at NHL games should tell us the entire story.
With Canada and United States relations on the rocks, it creates a potential headwind for the WNBA as it prepares to roll out the orange carpet into the 6ix the same way it will do for the Bay Area’s Golden State Valkyries beginning this season. This was nowhere near a question as little as a few months ago.
In fact, we remember vividly how both WNBA Canada Games – the one in Toronto and the one in Edmonton were massive successes. The Toronto rendition at Scotiabank Arena featured the Minnesota Lynx and Chicago Sky. Edmonton’s featured the Los Angeles Sparks and Seattle Storm at Rogers Place – part of its ICE District.
The Storm are set to return to Canada later this year when they will match up against the Atlanta Dream at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.
When the WNBA made Canada a priority first with the Canada Games and then with an actual team in Toronto, it was unquestionably a legacy play for commissioner Cathy Engelbert as Canadian expansion automatically made the W a truly international league.
And while the Tempo will still take to the court in 2026, one cannot help but think that the feeling around anything associated with the United States – including the American-based WNBA could be a bit sour.
Here is what we want Canadian fans to know – we apologize.
We also want Canadian fans to know that the WNBA is not like your NHL which openly embraces the you-know-what in the White House. If anything, the W is more aligned with Canadian progressive values moreso than any other major North American sports entity.
Not to mention – Canada is a great country that we hold dear in our hearts. Do not allow the anti-Canadian views of the creatures running around in Washington, D.C. to affect how a growing majority of Americans feel about Canada.
We cherish our alliance and our allegiance to Canada very closely. We respect Canadian culture – including its Francophone side. We are amazed by Canada’s geography from the rural areas to the cities. And we understand how the passion of Canada extends to its sports teams – and how it will be no different for Toronto’s Tempo.
In other words, however you feel about us now – including with an American-based entity like the WNBA expanded into Canadian soil – is valid and we deserve every bit of those ill feelings. We also understand that you may not be feeling all that keen about co-hosting next year’s Men’s World Cup with the United States (and Mexico) either.
We had a chance to stop this in November and failed – now we are stuck with this nightmare until 2028 at the earliest.
But understand this – to our WNBA Canada family and beyond our W Canada family – we are wholeheartedly with you. Because unlike the creatures currently at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, we understand that all of us are stronger together.
In fact, it would be an emphatic statement if at the conclusion of that Storm-Dream matchup in Vancouver if someone made a statement denouncing the actions of the current administration as it relates to Canada – and stood in solidarity with Canada’s people.
And it would be an emphatic statement if at the conclusion of the Tempo’s first regular season matchup at the Coca-Cola Coliseum if Toronto’s team – and whichever American team it faces – also stood in solidarity showing that Canadians and Americans are united – even if the two governments are currently divided.
We love you, Canada. And we understand it may take a while for that love to be returned because the wounds are fresh and may be for quite sometime. But we are willing to do the work to regain that trust and love – and perhaps the basketball court can be a conduit to heal those wounds.
We will see you later this season – and next year for your Tempo.
Nous vous aimons.
