Wrong side of history: James Dolan is the lone voice against WNBA expansion
The WNBA is going international in 2026 with last week's announcement that Toronto would have the 14th franchise in the league. Kensington Market will increase their productivity, and captivate fans, tourists, and the WNBA with the fresh grease crashing into their freshly seasoned burgers, and the freshly rolled burritos with extra avocado hanging out.
Last week's news of the league going international sent excitement as the game grows. This season's rookie class, featuring Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, Rickea Jackson, and others has catapulted viewership and sales.
Shortly after the approval, ESPN sources reported that the WNBA Board of Governors voted 13-0, while the NBA Board of Governors voted 29-1. To no one's surprise, the New York Knicks owner, James Dolan voted against it.
The vote against expansion could be due to an alleged "theft of proprietary information," and the current lawsuit. However, Dolan did vote against the Golden State Valkyries as well.
ESPN Sources: In approving a new WNBA franchise in Toronto, the WNBA Board of Governors voted 13-0 and the NBA’s Board of Governors voted 29-1. Only the New York Knicks voted against the expansion. Knicks are suing Raptors in case over alleged “theft of proprietary information."
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 23, 2024
Kilmer Sports Ventures will own the Toronto franchise. Larry Tanenbaum is the chairman of Kilmer Sports and works with the Toronto Raptors, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and MLS Toronto FC.
James Dolan got it wrong again
Dolan's denial sends a possible indication of his negative feelings toward the league. He may still be bitter about how the Liberty continues to elevate after he sold the team in 2017. Not to mention, they are selling out Barclays Arena, and this season they sold over $2 million in tickets during one game.
Selling the Liberty was a bad move because of their marketability, and the team was more competitive than the Knicks (up to the sale date).
The Knicks owner is wrong for voting against Toronto's expansion project because it shows his lack of commitment to women's sports. His vote demonstrates his lack of understanding of the growth and direction of the game.
Dolan made the wrong decision to vote against expansion because it could have impacted the league's future deals and partnerships internationally. Under the late David Stern, the NBA started to focus on the international market after the Dream Team in 1992.
After the Dream Team, the NBA hasn't looked back and the league continued to expand. The WNBA expanding to the Bay Area and now international is huge. Toronto is an international hub for sports, culture, cuisine, finance, and more.