This is a column by Shireen Ahmed, who writes opinion for CBC Sports. For more information about CBC's Opinion section , please see the FAQ . This past Saturday, 19,923 fans gathered at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena to watch the first WNBA game played in Canada.
The crowd was excited and engaged, the arena was packed, and orange hoodies and hats could be seen throughout the arena. The Chicago Sky faced off against the Minnesota Lynx and while the game didn't get thrilling until the end of the third quarter, the general ambiance was unlike anything I have witnessed.
There was a vibrant excitement in the air and afterward I told a colleague that it felt like a festival: Lilith Fair meets AFROFEST, but for women's basketball.
This game was a celebration of women in sport: athletes, coaches, officials, sports business people, fans and the wider community.