MONTRÉAL, QC. – The WNBA took over Montréal this weekend as part of its cross-country series, bringing games to different cities across Canada. Two matchups took place at the Bell Centre, beginning on Friday, July 10, with the Toronto Tempo facing the Dallas Wings. Dallas came away with a 108–95 win over the Tempo despite the electric atmosphere inside the arena. The second game, on Sunday, had everyone on their feet until the final buzzer in a tightly contested matchup, the Toronto Tempo edged the New York Liberty 93–91, closing out the weekend with a celebration.
Fans showed up in huge numbers, packing the arena from top to bottom, with several notable guests in attendance, including PWHL players from the Montréal Victoire. The first game drew a record-breaking crowd of 20,996 fans, setting a new WNBA regular-season attendance record. The players made sure to thank those who came out, taking time to interact with fans, sign items and share a few moments with them.
Sports culture is deeply ingrained in the city of Montréal. Whether it’s hockey, soccer, basketball or motorsport, fans are always ready to show their support, and this weekend was no different. With the local CEBL team, the Montréal Alliance, gaining more fans every year, Montréal’s basketball fan base is clearly thriving, and it made itself heard throughout the weekend.
Check out this photo gallery from Zoé Beaudry for highlights from the weekend.
