I wasn't a big basketball fan until I went to my first Toronto Tempo game

They say it only takes one. For me, one Toronto Tempo game was all it took to realize I'd been missing out on an incredible sport. After one game, I found myself wanting to come back, cheer louder, and be part of something bigger than the final score.

Before my first game on July 5, when the Toronto Tempo faced the Dallas Wings on home court at Coca Cola Coliseum, I wasn't a WNBA expert (I’m still very much not), but I knew a couple things about Canada's first-ever team in the franchise since they unveiled their jerseys in December 2025, one year after announcing their debut. 

One thing I do know is that women's sports still receive a fraction of the media attention given to men's sports in Canada. Maybe — and I hate to admit this — that's part of the reason I never considered myself a basketball fan before. You can't become invested in something you rarely read or hear about.

But I knew it was on me to be part of the solution, because it's one thing to say women's sports deserve more fans, more headlines and more airtime. It's another thing to actually show up.

So I did — in the best seat possible. Thanks to team sponsor Coors Light Canada, I was fortunate enough to sit courtside for my first-ever game.

View from my seat. Photo: Natalia Buia

During warm-ups, the players were busy running drills, and I got to casually toss a stray basketball back to guard Kia Nurse (the only Canadian player on the team, if you didn't already know). It's my biggest flex, and I have no plans whatsoever to ever stop bringing it up in conversation.

Thanks to my seat, I was also able to see All-Star Marina Mabrey in action. I was so close to the "crashout queen," I bet some of her sweat particles landed on my denim button-up.

Although I don't have an athletic bone in my body, as a woman, I relate so deeply to Mabrey. Not because I can sink a three-pointer, but because we're both fiery people with a reputation for wearing our emotions on our sleeves.

Fiery passion is often judged differently depending on who's expressing it. I appreciate that Mabrey hasn't dimmed her fire. Instead, she's turned it into one of her greatest strengths.

Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

That same energy and passion extended beyond the court. 

I was chatting with other fans in the arena, in line for drinks, even in the bathroom, and feeling at ease. With roughly 8,500 people packed into Coca-Cola Coliseum, we all seemed to be there because we wanted to see women succeed. 

By the second quarter, I started to notice how all the music played during breaks was female artists like Beyonce, Britney Spears and Rihanna, which, I would assume, is not something you'd hear at other sporting events. 

Another thing you probably wouldn't expect at a Raptors game, for example? Walking out with a free box of tampons. 

Aside from ad placements everywhere, the brand, which announced a sponsorship agreement with the team back in April, showed me this was a space supporting the very women who support the players on the court.

Prior to attending the game, I did what most people do when wanting to pick up a new hobby: I went down a digital rabbit hole. I started watching highlight clips, following the team on social media and letting my For You Page give me a crash course on women's basketball, because I was eager to learn as much as I could to show my support.

July 5 was my first-ever Toronto Tempo game, but it won't be my last. 

Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

After experiencing that warm-hearted camaraderie, despite the 76-89 loss to the Wings, I'm eager to attend another game and cheer on the team that's currently ranked 10th in the Eastern Conference. 

It'll take a lot of work to secure that eighth playoff spot, and hopefully that includes seeing Brittney "Slim" Sykes back on the court soon, but I have tremendous faith in these players.

I'm no expert. I'm just a fan.