The Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo are entering the WNBA as two very different teams from very different cities. They'll each battle it out against the rest of the league this season, and those wins and losses will matter. But when it comes to building a culture that lasts, and a franchise that can succeed, both teams will need to focus on something else.
Building a winning culture begins with investing in and understanding the community around you, Golden State Valkyries President Jess Smith told Yahoo! Sports recently. First and foremost, she explained, the teams have to know who they are.
That's about more than what they do during a game. The teams will need to tap into their community of fans and learn more about their new cities: what works and what doesn't, and what preexisting culture exists. The Valkyries have been "very successful" in the Bay Area because they've genuinely listened to the people around them, she added.
"This is where people look to see what comes next, how we treat people. Community is imperative to how we want to make sure that we're showing up," Smith said.
Portland and Toronto have incredible opportunities in front of them
The two teams have the potential to do something really special in their respective cities, Smith added. As she noted, Portland has a strong history of supporting women's sports, and Toronto is the first-ever WNBA team in Canada. Both are enormous feats that the teams should be proud of, and they offer the potential for so much growth.
Other teams will be joining the WNBA soon, too. The league announced last year that teams will be added in Cleveland, Houston, and Philadelphia by 2030 – one new team will be added in 2028, 2029, and 2030. The Connecticut Sun has been sold to the ownership group in Houston, but the Cleveland and Philadelphia teams will start from scratch, just like the Fire, Tempo, and Valkyries before them.
All this growth really comes in a moment in time that's special, something that can't be said enough. More fans than ever are showing up at games, supporting their teams through highs and lows, and watching games on TV. Women's basketball players experienced transformative growth through the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that was signed this year, and now have the ability to carve out true futures for themselves that can be secure.
The Fire and Tempo are part of a moment and a movement that is only growing, and it's up to both teams to make sure they grow right along with it.
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