The 2021 WNBA Draft concluded not too long ago, and this was an event where a dozen teams had a shot to improve their rosters immediately. The issue is, several players who play in women’s college basketball don’t end up earning the opportunity to be selected by a WNBA franchise, and none of those draftees could potentially play in Canada with the Toronto Raptors.
The odds are stacked against these women more than probably any other notable professional league in North America. With only 12 teams, there are only 144 roster spots available in the WNBA. The NBA nearly triples that with around 400.
Due to the small odds, not only do several of these women have to either play overseas, carry on with their studies or choose another career to take on, but the WNBA loses the ability to add more talent to their league.
Expansion should, and has been a topic of discussion around the league. Although money has been impacted by COVID-19, seeing all of this potential slip through the cracks as a result of the limited size of the league must have people thinking about expanding the number of franchises.
By the end of the decade, they should look to get a number around a minimum of 15 teams to bring in more audience, more dollars, and an increased number of college players who can realistically enter the pros once they choose to graduate or move on.
If the WNBA ever feels the need to look into expansion or relocation within the next few years, look no further than the great city of Toronto. The home of the Raptors and G League’s Raptors 905 would be a massive move for not only the city and the league, but the women’s game in general.
I've been saying it since I moved here: The WNBA can succeed big in Toronto — and especially if the Raptors org puts their marketing might behind it (which they would). Basketball is growing in the country and big in the GTA. https://t.co/mxbtWfAaKC
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) April 16, 2021
Here’s what Raptors ownership and the city can offer a Toronto WNBA team
Going International
The WNBA currently sits at 12 teams, all being from the United States. The most recent relocations were the Tulsa Shock moving to Dallas to become the Wings and the San Antonio Stars becoming the Las Vegas Aces. With all the expansion and relocation we’ve seen in the WNBA over the years, Canada remains unsuccessful in earning a franchise.
As a result of COVID-19, the league will need more money somehow and that leaves a window of possibility for expansion to happen. Not only does a new team provide another market for viewership and the creation of new fans but, this allows for more job opportunities.
Whenever the expansion/relocation topic comes up in discussions, the usual suspects are Charlotte, Miami, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. What about moving a team north of the border?
We’ve seen two markets house NBA teams in Vancouver and Toronto. Vancouver didn’t end up panning out for the Grizzlies but, the Raptors have become one of the league’s well-run franchises over the past decade.
Toronto is more likely than Vancouver to be an option for a team if the WNBA ever wanted to have a club in Canada. It makes a lot of sense, as the Toronto market has already been solidified in the basketball world. Fans consistently show incredible support of the city’s professional teams and numerous available venues.
Where would the Toronto WNBA team play?
Speaking of places to play, their options start with Scotiabank Arena, currently the home of the Raptors, the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, and National Lacrosse League’s Toronto Rock.
Coca-Cola Coliseum housing the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies, while a smaller venue at Ryerson University’s Mattamy Athletic Centre also makes sense. Sharing the Paramount Fine Foods Centre with Raptors 905 is possible.
No matter where they end up playing, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has a great option in Toronto given the fact that it’s the largest market in Canada. The WNBA has always had problems when it comes to its global reach.
A boost in revenue, media attention, new fans becomes the after effect of having a team in one of the most popular markets in North America. This move would be similar to how the National Women’s Hockey League founded the Toronto Six.
Another women’s professional club in the city would receive tremendous support from millions of Toronto’s basketball-crazed fans, whether or not they’re female or male.
The league has already had deals with major Canadian sports TV networks like TSN and Sportsnet to cover WNBA games. Additionally, there are more business opportunities with Canadian companies given a move.
The NBA, MLB, NHL. MLS and the aforementioned NWHL are major leagues that have a Toronto franchise. So why can’t the WNBA try expanding their market reach?
Toronto has proven its love for basketball
Basketball used to be overlooked in the city in comparison to hockey and baseball. Vince Carter allowed there to be a development of basketball culture in Toronto by way of his stardom in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
He helped Canadians become increasingly infatuated with the game, and the national love for the Raptors and basketball remained present even after his departure from the Raptors.
Fast forward to the Masai Ujiri era where the Raptors have been one of the most consistent teams in the NBA with seven consecutive playoff appearances, including two trips to the Eastern Conference Finals and of course, the NBA Finals victory in 2019.
Once Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry, and Pascal Siakam lead the charge en route to defeating the Golden State Warriors in six games, the popularity that was already there for basketball noticeably heightened. With the buzz the city had after the 2019 title not being too far in the rearview, Toronto is still an attractive destination for a team.
Fans would love a Toronto WNBA team
The success the Raptors have had continues to be the key ingredient in ‘WNBA-to-Toronto’ debates as the excitement for a good women’s product would show similar results in terms of frequent positive fan morale.
In general, basketball is one of the most rising sports in Canada in terms of participation among the youth. According to the Canadian Youth Sports Report, basketball was the third most played sport in Canada for children aged three to 17 back in 2014.
The expectation is the number of participants within that demographic has increased with the rise of basketball as of late.
Canadian Presence in the WNBA and NCAA Tournament
There are four Canadian players in the WNBA; Kia Nurse, Bridget Carleton, Natalie Achonwa, and Kayla Alexander. The biggest star among those names is Nurse. The Phoenix Mercury guard is a UConn product that has quickly become the face of the Women’s Canadian Basketball program.
Ever since the birth of the WNBA, there have been 17 players from Canada to play in the league. Expect the number to trend upwards with the increase in Canadian talent showcased throughout the NCAA. This year’s women’s NCAA national tournament, concluding in a third Stanford championship victory, had 27 women from the north.
This includes certain players on rosters of top-ranked teams in the country. We saw numerous Canadians on center stage in the later rounds of the tournament, notably having three active players from Ontario on teams who advanced to the Final Four.
Kingston’s Aaliyah Edwards won the Big East Sixth Woman of the Year as an important piece on the No.1 ranked UConn Huskies, Arizona’s Shaina Pellington recording 15 points, seven rebounds, and three steals off the bench almost helped the Wildcats win the title over Stanford and Alyssa Jerome on the winning Cardinal team — both of them native Torontonians.
It appears as though the future college game will have even more Canadians who will make solid WNBA prospects.
Additionally, the NBA isn’t the only league with attention coming from the north. The largest population of international WNBA audiences comes from Canada. With Canada Basketball gaining more respect and the increase of Canadian women representing the maple leaf in the WNBA, the league now has a closer connection with Canada than it ever has before.
Potential Ownership/Management
Ownership would likely be Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, who currently oversees the Raptors, Maple Leafs, MLS side Toronto FC, and the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts. It’s the strongest choice as it continues to become more prominent as a company. They don’t own a women’s professional team as of yet thus, creating another business opportunity.
If not MLSE, then let’s have the “6 God” get in on this. Drake would immediately become the most popular shareholder in the association. It’s not like he isn’t involved with basketball operations of some sort — Drake is already an ambassador for the Raptors.
His basketball fandom doesn’t only stick with the NBA because we’ve seen him shoutout Las Vegas Aces star Liz Cambage on Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode” and several WNBA players listen to his music.
Drake owning the WNBA squad would mean a lot for the league due to how he’s been the biggest name in entertainment and music over the past decade. The likelihood is he would be able to have a strong team around him to invest in this franchise as well.
Raptors superfan Drake could be a great owner for the Toronto WNBA team
Not only would the star power be there through Drake but the team would likely have a major presence within fashion and entertainment cultures by a collaboration with Drake’s OVO brand, but the league would absolutely love a cultural impact with a move like this.
The WNBA has been making public strides towards reaching the younger generation who connects sport with fashion on and off the floor. No one would create more public reception than the famous rapper. Imagine the team’s branding, style, and international recognition if Drake is the man behind it all.
All of those areas grew for the Raptors after Drake became ambassador so the chances are the women’s team could be impacted the same way. Things he does with the Raptors like leaving his imprint on the team’s look and/or do something similar to “Drake Nights” benefit the team’s presence within the city greatly as well.
Hopefully, he’ll be the WNBA’s version of Steve Ballmer by being a superfan courtside during Toronto’s WNBA games. Maybe he could even name-drop the team name or franchise’s star player in one of his tracks too.