TORONTO – The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) today announced Tangerine Bank as the league’s first Foundational Partner in Canada.  This multiyear partnership will see Tangerine present WNBA Tip-Off 2021, as the league’s landmark 25^th season begins on Friday, May 14^th, 2021.

As the 12 WNBA teams tip off across the U.S., Tangerine Bank and the WNBA will team up to mark 25 years of empowering and uplifting women in sports, and are inviting fans to support and watch Canada’s best basketball players perform at the highest level, including Tangerine Champion and Phoenix Mercury guard Kia Nurse.

Through Tangerine Project Forward™, Tangerine is committed to empowering communities through programs and initiatives that inspire self-confidence, leadership and acceptance in Canadian youth.  In celebration of this new collaboration, during the WNBA’s historic 25^th season, Tangerine will reaffirm its commitment to supporting the mental wellbeing of young basketball players on the court and in the community.  For every mention during WNBA Opening Weekend on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram with the commemorative 25^th season hashtag, #CountIt, Tangerine will donate one dollar to Kids Help Phone, up to $25,000 CAD.  Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7 national e-mental health service offering bilingual (English and French) professional counselling, information and referrals, and volunteer-led, text-based support to young people.

“Tangerine Bank’s commitment to the WNBA is a strategic step in growing the league’s presence outside the U.S. and globalizing the game,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.  “Tangerine’s vision to invest in the WNBA is another indication of the value that companies see in the growing popularity of women’s sports.  We are grateful for their dedication to uplifting youth and women basketball players in Canada and beyond.”

“As proud supporters of the NBA, Toronto Raptors and youth organizations dedicated to empowering young players on and off the court, we are thrilled to take this natural step and expand our commitment to basketball in Canada,” said Gillian Riley, President & CEO, Tangerine Bank.  “We hope this collaboration will help shine a light on these exceptional female athletes and create an environment for women in sport to succeed.”

As a new Foundational Partner of the WNBA in Canada, Tangerine will strengthen its ongoing community investment in basketball as the Official Bank of the Toronto Raptors and the NBA in Canada.  Tangerine Project Forward also supports local communities through Community Gyms, designed to unite youth through on- and off-court skills development, food nutrition and financial literacy, and through female-focused clinics and camps.

WNBA training camp rosters ahead of the 2021 season feature four Canadians: Toronto’s Natalie Achonwa (Minnesota Lynx), Chatham’s Bridget Carleton (Minnesota Lynx), Hamilton’s Kia Nurse (Phoenix Mercury) and Langley, BC’s Aislinn Konig (Washington Mystics).  All four players have represented Canada on the Senior Women’s National Team.

Coverage of WNBA Tip-Off 2021 presented by Tangerine will begin on Friday night as the No. 1 overall 2020 draft pick, Sabrina Ionescu, and the New York Liberty host the Indiana Fever on Sportsnet ONE and SN NOW (7 p.m. ET).  On Saturday, two-time league MVP Candace Parker will make her debut with the Chicago Sky on TSN against Natasha Cloud and the Washington Mystics (1 p.m. ET), followed by the defending WNBA Champions, Seattle Storm as they host the Las Vegas Aces on Sportsnet ONE and SN NOW (3 p.m. ET).  The Canadian WNBA broadcast schedule can be found at NBA.ca.

Additionally, on Monday, May 17 at 9 p.m. ET, TSN will deliver the Canadian premiere of the latest ESPN Films documentary, “144”, about the unprecedented 2020 WNBA season, in which 144 players across 12 teams played 147 games from July to October 2020 in the bubble at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

The WNBA’s landmark 25^th season will see new elements and activations, including a special edition commemorative logo, new Nike uniforms, new Wilson game ball, and the launch of the new in-season competition, the Commissioner’s Cup.

About the WNBA
Entering its 25th season in 2021, the WNBA is a bold, progressive basketball league that stands for the power of women.  Featuring 12 teams, the W is a unique sports property that combines competition and entertainment with a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and social responsibility.  Through its world-class athletes, the in-game fan experience, TV and digital broadcasts, digital and social content and community outreach programs, the league celebrates and elevates the game of basketball and the culture around it.

In 2020, the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) signed a groundbreaking eight-year CBA that charts a new course for women’s basketball – and women’s sports overall – with a focus on increased player compensation, improvements to the player experience, expanded career development opportunities and resources specifically tailored to the female professional athlete.  Key elements of the agreement are supported through the league’s new partnership platform, WNBA Changemakers, with AT&T, the WNBA’s Marquee Partner and inaugural Changemaker, as well as fellow inaugural Changemakers Deloitte and Nike, and the recent addition of Google.   During the 2020 season, the WNBA and WNBPA launched the WNBA Justice Movement forming the Social Justice Council with the mission of being a driving force of necessary change and continuing conversations about race and voting rights, among other important societal issues.

For more information, visit WNBA.com.

About Tangerine Bank
Tangerine Bank is a digital bank that delivers simplified everyday banking to Canadians. With over 2 million Clients and close to $40 billion in total assets, it’s one of Canada’s leading digital banks. Tangerine Bank offers banking that’s flexible and accessible, products and services that are innovative, fair fees and award-winning Client service. From Savings Accounts to no-fee daily Chequing, Credit Cards, GICs, RSPs, TFSAs, Mortgages, lending products and Investment Funds through its subsidiary, Tangerine Investment Funds Limited, Tangerine Bank has the everyday banking products Canadians need. Through Tangerine Project Forward™, Tangerine is committed to empowering communities through programs and initiatives that inspire self-confidence, leadership and acceptance in Canadian youth. With over 1,000 employees in Canada, the bank’s presence spans its website and Mobile Banking app to its 24/7 Contact Centres and Toronto-based head office. Tangerine Bank was launched as ING DIRECT Canada in 1997. In 2012 Tangerine was acquired by Scotiabank, and operates independently as a wholly-owned subsidiary.

For more information, visit tangerine.ca.

Tangerine Project Forward is a trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia