[Spain] Toronto would be an amazing home to a @wnba team & the preseason game there made it clear the league & city want it to happen. The issue, I’m told, lies in the venue. League wants promise games will be @ Scotiabank, MLSE is hesitant to give up all those nights of concerts, etc.
Toronto would be an amazing home to a @wnba team & the preseason game there made it clear the league & city want it to happen. The issue, I'm told, lies in the venue. League wants promise games will be @ Scotiabank, MLSE is hesitant to give up all those nights of concerts, etc.
— Sarah Spain (@SarahSpain) October 5, 2023
by Fxp1706
38 Comments
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i can’t say i’m surprised mlse is chasing profits.
Ayo MLSE been pissing me off lately
makes total sense. average wnba game would sell 20% of that arena. why would mlse give up sold out concerts for that? extremely silly and presumptuous of them to be demanding scotiabank arena lmao they can play at coca-cola colosseum
Who could have seen the company owned by Bell and Rogers would be shortsighted ghouls?
Truly, this is shocking.
The issue lies in the V̶e̶n̶u̶e̶ greed and sexism of MLSE
MLSE the greedy problem
MLSE isn’t a charity
Y’all gotta realize the business aspect that MLSE is chasing. WNBA don’t sell out all their games unlike a concert that is most likely to sell all the seats. It makes total sense from a business standpoint to not want WNBA games there.
Why does it need to be there? Why can’t they play up in Brampton until they show they can fill the seats? A more intimate venue would be much better for a new team in a small league
If it’s being announced today shouldn’t we know the answer to this by now? Makes me think it’s not Toronto after all
Why don’t they play the same spot as the 905?
Do all WNBA teams currently play at the same venue as their NBA counterparts?
No fucking shit. Having 3k people show up in a 20k arena compared to a sold out concert. It’s not even close.
Bring them to Montreal
As much as I would love a Toronto WNBA team, they should start at Coca Cola Coliseum. The revenue they generate from concerts and other events isn’t worth losing. That’s a pretty ridiculous demand,.when realistically every game is not going to sell out like the exhibition matchup the city hosted.
If I’m on the MLSE board, I am voting no to games at Scotiabank. That WNBA team will cost them millions in lost revenue if it requires giving up concerts, etc.
As much as I would like to have a WNBA franchise, I get it. It would make much more sense to have it a Coca Cola Coliseum and occasional games (playoffs) at Scotiabank, at least to start.
It’s a business, obviously their main objective is to maximize revenue. Don’t know why people are getting salty about this. It’s probably a smart business decision on their part tbh.
Pretty sure other WNBA teams don’t play in the same arenas as NBA teams. Actually, just quickly checked on Chicago Sky and they in fact, play in a different arena than the Bulls.
Hate to be crass, but MLSE is not a charity. They have a business to optimize. I would love to support the WNBA, but need to be realistic about the venue choice.
Also, attending a game with the arena at 20% is a bad vibe. Feels weak to the players and fans. Pick a venue they can fill.
play at utsc
Easy to see MLSE’s point of view here in terms of dollars, but even as a fan I would rather go to a full arena of 8,000 people over an arena with 8,000 people but it seats 19,000.
I can’t believe all those second handers saying MLSE should let the WNBA team play at Scotia Bank arena. It’s a business, and they need to prioritize quarterly profits for the shareholders!!!
Next thing you know, the government is going to come for our Rearden metal. We’ll show them when Elon and the drivers of industry go on strike and let the world fall apart! #keeptherailroadsprivate
MLSE is not in the business of losing money
If I lived in Toronto and I had to chose between the Raptors and a women’s team for the few games a year I could get to, I am going to choose the Raptors every time. The product is just better in every way. Put them in a city where they are the best product in a reasonable distance. Not only will it not have to compete with the men’s team (and the 905 as well) for fans, they also wouldn’t have to compete with them for sponsorships. But the team in Halifax, or Ottawa, or Quebec City. In Halifax or Quebec, they would only have to contend with Junior Hockey. They can still be affiliated with the Raptors in a different city.
For a league that operates at a loss they sure are entitled
Did they already announce the teams in the expansion? May e that’s what the 350M upgrade to the arena is for.
Why not Maple Leaf Gardens? It’s right in downtown, close to a hotel for travelling teams.
WNBA has no business being in a 18K+ arena right now. The Seattle Storm average 10K and the Indiana Fever average 1.7K
If games have to be played at Scotia bank arena its not happening. Wwe and ufc already have a tough time booking dates and they almost always sell out especially in recent years
I honestly think they’d sell out just on the simple fact that it’s something to do in Toronto, people line up for anything and everything. Especially if ticket prices are affordable.
Figures, I should’ve known better when one of the first things that came to my mind was how much cheaper tickets would be. Of course MLSE prefers to sell significantly pricier tickets, of course…
Yeah, WNBA would be 100% better represented by selling out (or nearly) a 6-8k seat building, than having that many people or fewer at a Scotiabank…
The Audacity
Give a WNBA team to Vancouver.
WNBA is not going to be profitable in the Scotiabank arena. Women won’t show up to support them
Just give Nav the team at Ricoh/CocaCola/ CNE.
Weird how this sub is suddenly worried about MLSE’s bottom line.
Scotiabank Arena has a grand total of 15 publicly ticketed nights booked throughout June, July and August. And at least one of those was cancelled.
[https://www.scotiabankarena.com/calendar](https://www.scotiabankarena.com/calendar)