The WNBA and Bell Media announced that the two sides had entered into a multi-year agreement on Tuesday, which will come into effect for the upcoming 2026 season.
As part of the agreement, Bell Media will become the official media partner of the Toronto Tempo, and will have the ability to broadcast the league’s marquee events as well. Events such as the WNBA Draft, All-Star Game, Playoffs, and Finals would fall under this agreement in Canada.
“The momentum around the WNBA in Canada is at an all-time high, and this partnership represents an important step in providing fans in Canada with unprecedented access to their favorite teams and players at a historic time of the first ever Canadian team in the WNBA,” said WNBA Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison. “TSN shares our commitment to providing fans with best-in-class coverage that will elevate the WNBA and women’s basketball in Canada.”
“With a generation of exciting new stars, the growth of the WNBA continues to be simply phenomenal. It’s an honour for TSN to showcase the country’s first WNBA team, the Toronto Tempo, for years to come,” said Shawn Redmond, Vice President, Bell Media Sports. “As the home of basketball in Canada with a wide-ranging portfolio of women’s sports coverage, this partnership is an ideal fit for the TSN audience. We can’t wait to shine the national spotlight on the incredible athletes taking flight in the WNBA.”
With the Tempo set to kick off their inaugural season this month, interest in the WNBA has never been higher north of the border. Viewership of the 2026 Draft was up 172% this year amongst Canadians, and demand for Tempo tickets has pushed prices on the secondary market to triple digit figures for standing room only passes.
Games will be split across Bell Media’s TSN and CTV cable stations, and will also feature Crave streaming options beginning this year.
– Broadcast and Streaming Agreement Makes Bell Media the Official Media Partner of the Toronto Tempo
– TSN to Broadcast and Stream Toronto Tempo Games, Regular Season WNBA Games, Plus WNBA All-Star, Playoffs and Finals, and Draft
– CTV and Crave to Simulcast Select Toronto Tempo Games Throughout the Season
After completing preseason contests against the Connecticut Sun and Minnesota Lynx, Toronto will now look to officially kick off their season on Friday, May 8th against the Washington Mystics.
Photo: Anthony Quintano. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.