“We couldn't be more excited to bring the Sparks and Storm to Edmonton after last year's historic game in Toronto, which demonstrated the incredible momentum around women's basketball across Canada,” FIBA Women's Basketball Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a press release.
The announcement of the Edmonton game comes amid recent reports this week that Canadian businessman Larry Tannenbaum is pursuing a WNBA expansion team in Toronto.
The Edmonton game will be only the fourth FIBA exhibition held outside the United States, following last year's game in Toronto and games in Monterrey, Mexico, and Manchester, England, which were held in 2004 and 2011, respectively.
Among those on the three-time WNBA champion's current roster, Sparks was recently acquired by Canadian standout Kia Nurse, while the four-time champion Storm boasts the league's 2023 leading scorer Jewell Loyd among his players.
“One of Canada’s greatest basketball players, Sparks guard Kia Nurse, is back playing in front of her Canadian fans,” said co-owner and Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson.
“Showcasing some of the league's best talent in Canada is a great opportunity to continue building a dedicated fan following for the WNBA outside of the United States. Last year's game was a complete sellout and I would expect nothing less for Sparks vs Storm!”
(Reporting by Frank Bengo in Toronto; Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
Disclaimer: This report is automatically generated from the Reuters News Service. ThePrint assumes no responsibility for its content.
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