The Tempo drew 20,996 fans to Montreal’s Bell Centre on Friday’s 108-95 loss to the Wings, marking the “biggest regular-season audience in the WNBA’s 30-year history.” Tempo coach Sandy Brondello said, “It is a giant, wonderful arena and you had so many people in the stands. ... The atmosphere was fantastic. It’s great to be up here and see fans come out and support the WNBA and the [Tempo].” Friday’s game was the first of four regular-season contests the Tempo will play outside of Toronto -- they will stay in Montreal and play the Liberty on Sunday afternoon, then play games in Vancouver against the Fire on Aug. 21 and the Aces on Aug. 23 (TORONTO STAR, 7/10).
Friday night’s game broke the regular-season attendance mark of 20,711 set in D.C. on Sept. 19, 2024. The league’s two largest crowds -- both 22,076 -- came in Detroit in the 2003 and 2007 WNBA Finals. Wings coach Jose Fernandez said, “It’s really special for Canada and for the Toronto Tempo franchise. It just shows the trajectory of where the WNBA is and what the franchise in Toronto is doing for basketball fans in Canada” (AP, 7/11).
