CBC report: Toronto to host new WNBA expansion team
CBC, citing four individuals with knowledge of the situation but not authorized to speak publicly about it, states that a Toronto billionaire named Larry Tanenbaum from Kilmer Sports Inc. will lead the ownership group for the new WNBA franchise. This team is expected to start playing in 2026.
CBC also suggests that an announcement is set for May 23, making it the first WNBA franchise outside of the US.
In response to the CBC report, a WNBA spokesperson told CNN: "We've been talking with potential ownership groups in several cities and nothing has been finalized yet."
At present, the league consists of 12 teams, with an additional one being added in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2025, making a total of 13 teams. Tanenbaum's goal is to have a 14th team in 2026.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced at the WNBA draft in New York on April 15 that the league is aiming to expand to 16 teams in the future. Other possible locations for new franchises include Philadelphia, Portland, Denver, Nashville, and South Florida. Engelbert also expressed her confidence that the expansion would lead to 48 more roster positions, which is a considerable increase in the 144-player league.
Engelbert said, "We're working on expanding to 16 teams. When we're there, we'll have an extra 48 roster spots within just a few years. That's 30% of the league. I think it will be really awesome when we get those spots sorted out in a couple of years."
Tanenbaum is the chairman of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Limited and is a governor for the Toronto Raptors basketball team, the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team, and the Toronto FC soccer club.
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Source: edition.cnn.com
