The WNBA could soon be establishing a new franchise in Toronto.
According to CBC Sports, Billionaire Larry Tanenbaum is pursuing a WNBA expansion team for the city. While Tanenbaum is a minority owner and chairman of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, he is reportedly seeking to form a WNBA team without the MLSE group, which owns the Maple Leafs, Raptors, TFC, Argos and Marlies.
Instead, he is seeking the team through his holding company, the Kilmer Group.
A meeting with WNBA leadership to discuss the bid is expected, with an announcement coming as soon as May.
“We continue to engage in productive conversations with interested ownership groups in a number of markets but have no news to report at this time,” a spokesperson for the league said.
Similarly, the Kilmer Group would not provide further comment on the report.
“Larry Tanenbaum has spent his career building and growing iconic sports franchises,” they said in a statement. “He knows that Toronto has some of the greatest sports fans in the world and is always looking for opportunities to champion professional sports and deliver unrivaled fan experiences in the city he loves. Kilmer will not respond to speculation or provide further comment at this time.”
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