The WNBA announced that a second game will be played in Canada. The Los Angeles Sparks will take on the Seattle Storm on May 5 at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
Seattle are four-time WNBA champions. They features 2023 scoring leader Jewell Loyd, eight-time WNBA All-Star Nneka Ogwumike and six-time All-Star Skylar Diggins-Smith.
For the rebuilding Sparks, some key names are All-Star Layshia Claredon, 2022 champion and two-time Sixth Player of the Year Dearica Hamby and recently acquired Canadian star Kia Nurse.
The inaugural WNBA Canada Game sold-out at Scotiabank Arena. The game featured a matchup between the Chicago Sky and the Minnesota Lynx. This international game broke records for broadcast viewership, attendance and merchandise sales in Canada.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert expressed her excitement of bringing two more teams to Canada:
“We couldn’t be more excited to bring the Sparks and Storm to Edmonton after last year’s historic game in Toronto, which showcased the incredible momentum around women’s basketball across Canada. Fans, partners and communities across the country embraced the WNBA, setting records for viewership, merchandise sales and attendance, and we’re looking forward to the opportunity to once again showcase our league in a city with a rich sporting legacy and indelible ties to basketball through the Edmonton Grads and Canadian Women’s National Basketball Team.”
Tickets for the game go on general sale March 20 on Ticketmaster. Canadian fans can register for presale ticket access at WNBACanadaGame.com.
The start time and additional broadcast details will be announced at a later date.
Viewership for the WNBA’s 2023 season across the league’s national television partners in the U.S. and Canada went up 21 and 32 percent, over the 2022 season.
Larry Tanenbaum proposes bid to bring WNBA to Toronto
With the expected success of this second preseason game, it begs the question of if a WNBA team will make its way to Canada. Billionaire Larry Tanenbaum is focused on making this happen as he proposed a bid to bring a team to Toronto.
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