As Toronto’s WNBA franchise prepares to begin play during the league’s 2026 season, they’ve started to tick through some of the fundamental decisions that lay at the feet of a new franchise entering a large, diverse market. The team has an ownership group, a team president and a stadium, but have yet to land on a head coach, a colour scheme or a name.
For fans, one question could be top of mind as the team’s first tipoff at Coca-Cola Coliseum draws nearer: How much will it cost to go to a game?
Though single-game tickets are not yet available for purchase, the team has a wait-list for the chance to purchase season tickets once they’re available, which requires a $100 deposit. However, the team advises that putting a deposit down does not guarantee the chance to purchase season tickets.
In a statement to the Star, WNBA Toronto said that “details on pricing will be announced closer to the 2026 launch” of the franchise.
Ticket prices for an expansion team can be hard to ballpark, experts say. But fans can expect to pay somewhere in the $50 range for individual tickets, since the team may not be able to cultivate enough revenue at a lower price point, said Kevin Mongeon, an associate professor of sport management at the University of Ottawa.
Ticket prices for individual games may also fluctuate depending on which team is in town, Mongeon added, a trend seen across the league amid the meteoric rise of rookie phenom Caitlin Clark and other top talents within the league; in 2024, ticket prices for games in which Clark played regularly rose well above average.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if they move ticket prices up and down for individual games when stars come based on demand,” said Mongeon of the expected dynamic pricing policy.
During the WNBA’s inaugural season in 1997, leaguewide ticket prices averaged $14.54 (U.S.) ($28.60 when adjusted for inflation), according to news reports.
At the time, the now-defunct Cleveland Rockers had the cheapest average ticket price at $9.75 apiece ($19.18 in 2024), while the New York Liberty had the highest average ticket price at $22.17 ($43.61 in 2024). News reports at the time noted, however, that average ticket prices during the league’s first season did not include courtside tickets, which averaged $64.36 across the league ($126.59 in 2024).
Katie Lebel, an assistant professor of sports business at the University of Guelph, noted that the team’s inaugural season will be crucial to building a robust and engaged fan base, especially in an increasingly “vibes”-oriented sports landscape where being linked to a “cool” entity can make a big difference in attracting fans.
“I think that (in the) inaugural season, maybe they’ll price it a little bit more conservatively, just to build some of that loyalty,” Lebel said. “Having a packed house on inaugural season is going to be really important.”
The WNBA’s Toronto expansion also faces unique — but not unprecedented — geographical challenges, adds Victor Matheson, an economics professor at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass.
The fact that the team will collect most of its revenue in Canadian dollars but operates within a predominantly American ecosystem complicates its early decision-making, due in large part to the exchange rate. Though both the Blue Jays and Raptors have existed in similar circumstances for decades in their respective leagues, the wrinkle of being the lone Canadian franchise hasn’t been fully ironed out, Matheson said.
“The Canadian teams are at a gigantic disadvantage because of the additional risk associated with exchange-rate risk,” Matheson said.
Ultimately, the team will likely enjoy the shininess of being a new squad in a sports-crazed city, particularly among gen-Z and younger millennial fans who’ve seldom had the chance to experience a brand-new team take shape before their eyes, said Lebel.
Fielding a winning team may not even be top of mind for fans, since the WNBA is a rising brand that is quickly attracting new enthusiasts every season.
“Fans are feeling the vibes that the WNBA is putting out right now. It’s become a cool brand, particularly among that gen-Z, millennial audience, which are arguably their most important demographics,” Lebel said. “There’s going to be a lot of interest in being a part of this first season.”
