The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday edition that on a historic day in Toronto that demonstrated the ascendancy of women's sports, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert officially welcomed an expansion Toronto franchise to the league by presenting a ceremonial basketball to new owner Larry Tanenbaum. The Globe's Rachel Brady writes that though reports of the expansion have circulated for months, the league officially added its first team from outside the United States in a news conference in Toronto where a 8,700-seat arena will be home to the team when it joins the Women's National Basketball Association in May, 2026. The announcement generated widespread intrigue from the city and drew an enormous crowd including celebrities, basketball stars, sports businesspeople, media and politicians such as Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Rapper and basketball fan Drake was there, too. "This franchise will be Canada's team," Mr. Tanenbaum said. "While our home base will be Coca-Cola Coliseum at Exhibition Place in Toronto, we will play games in Vancouver and Montreal throughout the season." Mr. Tanenbaum is also chairman and a minority owner of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.
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