Sports in Toronto: Difference between revisions

|2 [[World Series]]<br />(last in [[1993 World Series|1993]])

|1 [[Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy|NBA Title]]<br />(last in [[2019 NBA Finals|2019]])

|[[FirstOntarioParamount Fine Foods Centre]]{{efn|Although the club is named the Toronto Rock, the club normally plays at [[FirstOntario Centre]] in [[Hamilton, Ontario]] representing the [[Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area]]; will play in [[Mississauga, Ontario]] for the 2025 NLL season while it undergoes renovations.}}

|6 [[National Lacrosse League Cup|NLL Cups]]<br />(last in [[2011 NLL season|2011]])

|[[Association football|Soccer]]

|1 [[List of NBA G League champions|D-League title]]{{efn|At the time the Raptors 905 won their first championship, the league was branded as the NBA D-League. The league rebranded as the NBA G League the following season as part of a promotional partnership with [[Gatorade]])}}<br />(last in [[2016–17 NBA Development League season|2017]])

|1 [[CEBL Championship Weekend|CEBL Championship]]<br />(last in [[2023 CEBL season|2023]])

|[[PWHL Toronto Sceptres]]

The [[Toronto Rock]] is a [[National Lacrosse League]] team is based outside the [[city limit]]s of Toronto, but is located within the [[Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area]] (GTHA). The team played their home games in Toronto from 1999 to 2021, when it relocated to [[FirstOntario Centre]] in [[Hamilton, Ontario]]. Although the team is no longer physically based Toronto, the team continues to use ''Toronto'' as a part of its moniker; claiming that the Rock represents the entire province, and the GTHA in particular.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/toronto-rock-relocated-hamilton-1.6021661|title=Toronto Rock moving home games to Hamilton, but won't change team name|date=11 May 2021|access-date=13 January 2023|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|last=Taekema|first=Dan}}</ref> For the 2025 NLL season, the Toronto Rock will return to the [[Greater Toronto Area]] to play their home games at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga while FirstOntario Centre undergoes renovations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://torontorock.com/news/toronto-rock-will-play-upcoming-season-in-hamilton-from-start-to-finish/|title=Toronto Rock Will Play Upcoming Season In Hamilton From Start To Finish!|date=14 September 2023 |access-date=29 August 2024|publisher=Toronto Rock|website=TorontoRock.com}}</ref>

* [[Toronto MarliesSceptres]]

|18,800 (ice hockey){{efn|name=procaponly}}{{efn|name=stand|Standing room is not factored}}<br />19,8000 (basketball){{efn|name=procaponly}}{{efn|name=stand}}

* [[PWHL Toronto Sceptres]]

The city has hosted the race for over thirty years and it is now IndyCar's second-longest running street race, only behind the [[Grand Prix of Long Beach]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Toronto could shake up title hunt|url=httphttps://espnwww.goespn.com/racing/indycar/story/_/id/9470813/indycar-toronto-doubleheader-shake-title-hunt|work=ESPN|date=July 11, 2013 |access-date=July 18, 2013}}</ref> and the fourth oldest race on the current IndyCar schedule in terms of number of races run.<ref>{{cite news|last=Genova|first=Victor|title=10 Random Toronto Indy Facts|url=http://www.hondaindytoronto.com/more-news-a-announcements/458-10-facts-toronto-indy|work=Honda Indy Toronto|access-date=September 1, 2016|archive-date=September 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917041320/http://www.hondaindytoronto.com/more-news-a-announcements/458-10-facts-toronto-indy|url-status=dead}}</ref> Historically, the city played host to the [[1958 Jim Mideon 500]], a [[NASCAR]] [[Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series|Cup Series]] racing event at Exhibition Stadium. Legendary NASCAR driver [[Lee Petty]] won this race, defeating his son [[Richard Petty|Richard]] in the latter's Cup Series debut.

:{{Main|Toronto Raptors|Toronto WNBA team|Raptors 905|Toronto Huskies|Toronto Tornados|Buffalo Braves|Scarborough Shooting Stars|BioSteel All-Canadian Basketball Game}}

On May 13, 2023, Scotiabank Arena hosted a preseason [[WNBA]] game between the [[Minnesota Lynx]] & the [[Chicago Sky]] with the Sky defeating the Lynx 82-74. This marked the first ever WNBA game of any sort to have been played in Canada, and it was played before a sold-out crowd of 19,800. WNBA commissioner [[Cathy Engelbert]] remarked that the league was "thrilled with the reception" and that Toronto "scored really well" and "is very high on the list" of about 10 cities for potential expansion.<ref>{{cite news|title=WNBA sells out its first-ever game in held Canada with Sky vs. Lynx|url=https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/other/wnba-sells-out-its-first-ever-game-in-held-canada-with-sky-vs-lynx/ar-AA1b9Lzs|date=May 13, 2023|work=MSN.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title='Toronto wants WNBA': First-ever game in Canada shows viability of expansion to Toronto|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball/wnba-game-canada-minnesota-lynx-chicago-sky-1.6842878|date=May 13, 2023|work=CBC.ca}}</ref> On May 23, 2024, the [[Toronto WNBA team]] was created and will begin play in 2026 at the [[Coca-Cola Coliseum]].

:{{Main|Toronto Maple Leafs|Toronto Blueshirts|Toronto Arenas|Toronto St. Patricks|Toronto Ontarios|Toronto Tecumsehs|Toronto 228th Battalion (NHA)|Toronto Toros|Toronto Marlies|Toronto Roadrunners|Toronto Furies|Toronto Six|PWHL Toronto Sceptres}}

The city is known for the [[Toronto Maple Leafs]] of the [[National Hockey League]], a team with passionate support in the city, and the most financially successful sports franchise in the country. The team built Maple Leaf Gardens, a sporting venue which served as the home arena for the Maple Leafs, and was also used for cultural and other events. Since 1999, they have played in the [[Scotiabank Arena]] (initially referred to as the Air Canada Centre). The team's roots stretch back to the [[Toronto Blueshirts]] of the [[National Hockey Association]], the predecessor to the NHL. The NHA was founded in 1909 without any teams from Toronto. In 1911, the [[Mutual Street Arena|Arena Gardens]] was being built and [[Ambrose O'Brien]], who had operated four NHA franchises but decided to get out of the business, sold two of his franchises to Toronto-based groups. The Toronto Hockey Club purchased one, which would become known as the Blueshirts, and a second was sold to a group affiliated with the [[Toronto Tecumsehs (ILL)|Tecumseh Lacrosse Club]] for $500 cash and promissory notes for $2,000 which would be called the [[Toronto Tecumsehs]]. They were scheduled to begin play in the 1911–12 season, but construction delays led to the two Toronto teams being dropped from the schedule and they instead began play in 1912–13.

When the [[World Hockey Association]], a rival league to the NHL, awarded Doug Michel an Ontario-based franchise in 1971 for $25,000 to play in the WHA's inaugural [[1972–73 WHA season|1972–73 season]],<ref name=Bassett/> Toronto was one of several cities under consideration as home for the team. [[Harold Ballard]], owner of the Maple Leafs and Maple Leaf Gardens, offered to rent the arena to the team, but Michel found the rent excessive.<ref>{{cite news|title=No WHA decomposure: New hockey body is 'alive and kicking'|date=January 21, 1972|first=Dick|last=Beddos|newspaper=[[The Globe and Mail]]}}</ref><ref name=ballardterms>{{cite news|title=Ballard gives WHA terms|date=December 11, 1971|newspaper=The Globe and Mail}}</ref> He then tried to base the team in [[Hamilton, Ontario|Hamilton]], but the city did not have an appropriate venue.<ref name=ballardterms/> Michel settled on [[Ottawa]] and the team became the [[Ottawa Nationals]]. However, after a season at the [[Ottawa Civic Centre]], the team decided to relocate and played their home playoff games at Maple Leaf Gardens. During this time, the team was referred to as the Ontario Nationals. The team moved to Toronto permanently for the following season after being sold to [[John F. Bassett]], son of former Leafs part-owner [[John W. H. Bassett]].<ref name=Bassett>{{cite news|title=Bassett buys WHA's Ottawa franchise, seeks Toronto home, nickname for team|first=Paul|last=Patton|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=May 3, 1973}}</ref> Future Leafs owner [[Steve Stavro]] was a minority shareholder.<ref name=Bassett/> They were renamed the [[Toronto Toros]] in June 1973. However, they could only attract a fraction of the attendance numbers the competing Leafs drew. In their inaugural season, they played out of [[Varsity Arena]], but played the next two seasons out of Maple Leaf Gardens. The team played their final game in Toronto in 1976, after which a drop in attendance and onerous lease terms at the Gardens forced them to relocate to [[Birmingham, Alabama]] as the [[Birmingham Bulls (WHA)|Birmingham Bulls]].<ref>{{cite news|title=WHA will operate in 2-division setup|date=August 19, 1976|newspaper=The Globe and Mail}}</ref>

The Greater Toronto Area has also been home to several women's hockey team including the professional [[Canadian Women's Hockey League]]'s (CWHL) [[Markham Thunder]] and [[Toronto Furies]]. However, the league ceased operations in 2019. In 2020, the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL), later rebranded as the [[Premier Hockey Federation]] (PHF) announced expansion to Toronto with the [[Toronto Six]] taking the ice for the 2020–21 season. The Six would ultimately win the 2023 [[Isobel Cup]] as the PHF's champions. It would ultimately become the PHF's final championship team as the league was dissolved to make way for a new [[Professional Women's Hockey League]] consisting of the former PHF consolidating with the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association later that summer with [[PWHLToronto Toronto|TorontoSceptres]] being granted one of the league's six charter teams for their inaugural season in 2024.

In July 2020, Toronto Wolfpack withdrew from the [[Super League XXV|2020 Super League]] due to financial difficulties and new logistics needed for international travel caused by the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref name="withdrew">{{Cite web|url=https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/2020/jul/20/toronto-wolfpack-exit-super-league-season-casting-doubt-on-clubs-future|title=Toronto Wolfpack pull out of Super League season as relegation is cancelled &#124; Toronto Wolfpack &#124; The Guardian|website=amp.theguardian.com|date=July 20, 2020 }}</ref> A subsequent bid for readmission was rejected on November 2, 2020, and resulted in the team's removal from the league & their ensuing announcement that they would not operate in 2021. On March 31, 2021, it was announced that a private investor group had purchased the Wolfpack and that they would be resuming play in the newly formed [[North American Rugby League]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=March 31, 2021|title=PACK IS BACK|url=https://www.torontowolfpack.com/pack-is-back/|access-date=March 31, 2021|website=Toronto Wolfpack RLFC|language=en-US|archive-date=March 31, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210331155442/https://www.torontowolfpack.com/pack-is-back/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

:{{Main|Toronto FC|AFC Toronto|Toronto Blizzard (1971–84)|Toronto Falcons (1967–1968)|Toronto City|Football at the 1976 Summer Olympics|Toronto Blizzard (1986-93)|Toronto ThunderHawks|Toronto Shooting Stars|Toronto Lynx|Toronto FC II|Mississauga MetroStars|York United FC}}

Toronto has also hosted professional [[indoor soccer]] teams. The Metros-Croatia fielded a team in NASL's indoor league from 1975 to 1976,<ref>{{cite news|title=Metros-Croatia split two games|date=March 15, 1976|newspaper=The Globe and Mail}}</ref> as did the Blizzard in 1980–82.<ref>{{cite news|title=NASL officials feeling good despite splotches of red ink|date=January 20, 1982|first=Jeffery|last=Labow|newspaper=The Globe and Mail}}</ref> The [[Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–92)|Major Indoor Soccer League]] considered putting a team in Toronto in 1987.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hamilton turning to MISL|last=Davidson|first=James|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=January 20, 1987}}</ref> In 1988 the [[American Indoor Soccer Association]] (AISA) granted Toronto a franchise which was to play its games at Hamilton, Ontario's Copps Coliseum (now [[FirstOntario Centre]]),<ref>{{cite news|title=Toronto has the team, Copps gets the games|date=July 11, 1988|newspaper=The Globe and Mail}}</ref> but the team never launched. The [[Toronto Shooting Stars]] competed in the [[National Professional Soccer League (1984–2001)|National Professional Soccer League]], as the AISA had renamed itself, during the 1996–97 season, but the ownership of the franchise collapsed just 3 games in, forcing the league to take control of the team's operations for the remainder of the season.<ref>{{Cite news|title=League bails out soccer's Stars|first=Norman|last=Da Costa|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=November 2, 1996|page=E7}}</ref> After losses of nearly $1&nbsp;million, the team suspended operations and never returned to play.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hamilton in the running for moving Stars|date=March 11, 1997|newspaper=[[Hamilton Spectator]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Shooting Stars to go on hiatus for one season|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=August 15, 1997|page=E5}}</ref> An application was made for a new NPSL Toronto team in 1998.<ref>{{cite news|title=Toronto group seeks soccer franchise|date=April 1, 1998|newspaper=[[Waterloo Region Record]]}}</ref> The NPSL returned to Toronto with the [[Toronto ThunderHawks]] for the 2000–01 season, playing at the [[Paramount Fine Foods Centre|Hershey Centre]] in [[Mississauga, Ontario]].<ref>{{Cite web| url = httphttps://www.cbc.ca/sports/storysoccer/2000/06/07/thunderhawks000607npsl-adds-toronto-thunderhawks-1.html245085 | title = NPSL adds Toronto Thunderhawks | publisher = [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] | date = June 7, 2000 | access-date = January 22, 2011}}</ref> When the NPSL disbanded in the summer of 2001 and reorganized as the [[Major Indoor Soccer League (2001–2008)|Major Indoor Soccer League]], the ThunderHawks were admitted to the new league under the condition that they would suspend operations for the 2001–02 season to work on the business side of the franchise and return to active competition for the 2002–03 season.<ref>{{Cite web| url = httphttps://www.cbc.ca/sports/storysoccer/2001/08/08/thunderhawks010808thunderhawks-sit-out-misl-season-1.html276849 | title = ThunderHawks sit out MISL season | publisher = [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] | date = August 8, 2001 | access-date = January 22, 2011}}</ref> However, the team never returned from this temporary suspension of operations. In April 2017 the [[Major Arena Soccer League]] announced that it had granted Totonto an expansion franchise, which was later named the [[Mississauga MetroStars]] and begin play in 2018 at the Hershey Centre.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maslsoccer.com/news/masl-announces-international-expansion|title=MASL Announces International Expansion|date=April 7, 2017|access-date=April 7, 2017|first=Jeff|last=Husted|publisher=Major Arena Soccer League}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maslsoccer.com/news/greater-toronto-area-based-team-to-debut-this-fall|title=Greater Toronto Area-based Team to Debut this Fall|date=August 9, 2018|access-date=August 9, 2018|publisher=Major Arena Soccer League}}</ref> Prior to the 2019–20 season the team rebranded as MetroStars Canada, and planned to play their 12 home games in six cities across Ontario (St. Catharines, Kingston, Oshawa, Windsor, Sarnia, and Brampton),<ref>{{cite web |title=Metrostars Canada Launches 6-City Tour in Niagara & Hosts Marvel Super Hero Weekends! |url=https://www.metrostars.ca/news/metrostars-canada-launches-6-city-tour-in-niagara- |website=www.metrostars.ca |access-date=4 October 2020 |date=7 November 2019}}</ref> but before playing a single game that season the team confirmed that they would not participate due to issues coordinating their home matches.<ref name="end">{{cite web |last1=Davidson |first1=Neil |title=Indoor soccer takes another hit in Toronto as MetroStars pull out of MASL |url=https://www.chroniclejournal.com/sports/national_sports/indoor-soccer-takes-another-hit-in-toronto-as-metrostars-pull-out-of-masl/article_14b0fe53-6172-5253-bbb0-d7d264032aa0.html |website=The Chronicle-Journal |publisher=Canadian Press |access-date=4 October 2020 |date=29 November 2019}}</ref>

[[Ultimate (sport)|Ultimate]] is a [[team sport]] played with a [[flying disc]]. The object of the game is to score points by passing the disc to members of your own team, on a rectangular field approximately the size of a soccer field, until you have successfully completed a pass to a team member in the opposing team's end zone. In the 1970s, [[Ken Westerfield]] introduced [[Flying disc games|disc sports]] including [[Ultimate (sport)|ultimate]] north of the 49th parallel at the [[Ken Westerfield#The Canadian Open Championships and the first Frisbee freestyle competition|Canadian Open Frisbee Championships]] and by creating the Toronto Ultimate League (Club).<ref>{{cite web|title=Toronto Ultimate|url=http://tuc.org/halloffame-2010|work=Hall of Fame Ken Westerfield|access-date=January 4, 2013|archive-date=November 6, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106080326/http://www.tuc.org/halloffame-2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> Since 1998, Canada has been ranked number one in the World Ultimate Rankings, several times in all divisions (including Open and Women's) according to the [[World Flying Disc Federation]].<ref name="WFDF World Rankings">{{cite web|title=WFDF World Ultimate Rankings|url=http://www.wfdf.org/history-stats/world-rankings/175#Open|work=World Flying Disc Federation|access-date=January 14, 2013}}</ref> In 2013, as a founding partner, the Toronto [[Ultimate (sport)|Ultimate]] Club presented Canada's first semi-professional [[Ultimate (sport)|ultimate]] team the [[Toronto Rush]], to the [[Ultimate Frisbee Association]] (UFA) (originally branded as the American Ultimate Disc League]] (AUDL)).<ref>{{cite web|title=Toronto Rush Ultimate|url=http://www.torontorush.com/|access-date=January 4, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Toronto Ultimate Franchise Ultimate|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/localsports/article/1292212|work=Toronto Rush Takes Flight|date=November 23, 2012|access-date=January 4, 2013}}</ref> They finished their first season undefeated 18–0 and won the AUDL Championships.<ref>{{cite web|title=AUDL|url=http://theaudl.com/|access-date=March 4, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Toronto Rush|url=http://torontor.wwwss6.a2hosted.com/partners/founding-partners/|work=Founding Partners|access-date=March 4, 2013|archive-date=February 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203021013/http://torontor.wwwss6.a2hosted.com/partners/founding-partners/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Toronto Rush|url=http://torontorush.com/fan-zone/what-is-ultimate/|work=History of Ultimate|access-date=March 4, 2013}}</ref>

Disc ultimate has become one of today's fastest growing sports.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Greatest Sport in the World Is Not What You're Thinking |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/isaac-saul/greatest-sport-in-the-world_b_5087205.html|work=Huffington Post Issac Saul|date=April 21, 2014|access-date=August 14, 2015}}</ref> In 2015, the [[International Olympic Committee]] (IOC) granted full recognition to the [[World Flying Disc Federation]] (WFDF) for [[flying disc]] sports including [[ultimate (sport)|ultimate]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Ultimate Frisebee Recognized by the International Olympic Committee|url=httphttps://time.com/3982386/international-olympic-committee-ultimate-frisbee/|work=World Flying Disc Federation|date=August 3, 2015 |access-date=August 4, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Ultimate Frisbee recognized by International Olympic Committee|url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2015/08/02/ulimate-frisbee-international-olympic-committee-approval|work=Sports Illustrated Dan Gartland|date=August 2, 2015 |access-date=August 4, 2015}}</ref>

*The Etobicoke Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 1994 and is located at the [[Ford Performance Centre]] in [[Etobicoke]], Ontario. Their mission statement describes their purpose as "honour(ing), for all time, those athletes, administrators, officials, media and individuals who have achieved the highest standard of excellence in sport" who "encourage and inspire excellence in all fields of athletic endeavour within our community."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://etobicokesports.ca/about-us/ | title=About Us }}</ref> The criteria for induction eligibility is being "any individual person or organization/team who has made a difference to our lives through their contribution to both amateur and/or professional sport or who has achieved outstanding and extraordinary success in the field of sport or who demonstrates exemplary values and/or personal characteristics and has made a defining contribution to his/her sport and who has lived or currently resides in Etobicoke or who has worked and/or had a significant impact to the Etobicoke community in the field of sport".<ref>https://etobicokesports.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Inductee-Nomination-Form.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=August 2024}}</ref>

*[[Canada Basketball]], the governing body of basketball in Canada, hosts an online hall of fame museum with its mission statement being “to recognize, honour, immortalize and enshrine the contributions to the development and advancement of basketball in Canada or internationally.”<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.basketball.ca/en/alumni/hall-of-fame# | title=Hall of Fame }}</ref> While it does not have a physical sports museum, their administrative office is located in Toronto, & their annual induction ceremonies take place at various Toronto-based venues, most recently at the [[Gladstone Hotel (Toronto)|Gladstone House]] for their 2023 induction ceremony.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.basketball.ca/news/canadian-basketball-hall-of-fame-class-of-2023-announced | title=Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2023 announced }}</ref>

*The Blue Jays' returned to play strategy for their 2020 "home" games featured playing in visitors ballparks as the home team for the first month until ultimately settling at [[Sahlen Field]] in [[Buffalo, New York]] as their home stadium for the duration of their abbreviated 60-game regular season. In 2021, the Blue Jays will play their first two months of their regular season home games at [[TD Ballpark]] in [[Dunedin, Florida]] which will last from April 8 until the end of May. From June 1 onwards, the Blue Jays will return to Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York to play the remainder of their 2021 home games "until it is safe ... to return to play on home soil (at Rogers Centre)".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/press-release/press-release-blue-jays-to-move-home-location-to-sahlen-field-beginning-june-1 |title=Blue Jays to move home location to Sahlen Field beginning June 1 | first=Matt |last=Bonesteel |publisher=[[Toronto Blue Jays]] press release |date=May 5, 2021|access-date=May 7, 2021}}</ref> On July 16, 2021, the Blue Jays received approval by the Canadian government for an exemption on border restrictions & played their first home game at Rogers Centre in Toronto on July 30, 2021, vs. the [[Kansas City Royals]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/talks-jays-feds-accelerate-july-30-return-78886169 |title=Blue Jays get approval to return to Canada on July 30 |website=[[ABC News (United States)|ABCNews.go.com]] |date=July 16, 2021}}</ref>

*Toronto FC's return to play strategy for their [[2020 MLS season]] featured scheduling in 3 phases. The first phase featured teams participating in the [[MLS is Back Tournament]] hosted in a [[quarantine|quarantined bubble]] with stringent [[COVID-19 testing]] at the [[ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex]] in [[Bay Lake, Florida]]. The tournament also featured round-robin matches which would count toward the regular season standings. This was followed by a second phase of scheduling that saw Canadian-based teams play one another exclusively, allowing for BMO Field to host home games. The third phase of scheduling saw TFC play U.S. based teams for the remainder of the season with home games played at [[Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field]] in [[East Hartford, Connecticut]]. For their [[2021 MLS season]], Toronto FC started their season playing their home games at [[Exploria Stadium]] in [[Orlando, Florida]], the home stadium for [[Orlando City SC]]. On July 14, 2021, Toronto FC was granted approval by the Canadian government to resume hosting games in Toronto vs. American teams on the condition that "clubs and match officials travelling to Canada will be subject to public health protocols required of all individuals entering the country," and that "only fully vaccinated players and staff will be excluded from Canadian quarantine requirements."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cp24.com/sports/toronto-fc-gets-green-light-to-play-at-home-in-front-of-7-000-fans-on-saturday-1.5509129 |title=Toronto FC gets green light to play at home in front of 7,000 fans on Saturday |website=[[CP24]] |date=July 14, 2021}}</ref> They played their first game since the pandemic at BMO Field vs Orlando City SC on July 17, 2021.

*The Raptors also returned to play at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex where the remainder of the [[2019-20 NBA season]] and [[2020 NBA playoffs]] were played as part of the [[2020 NBA Bubble]] with daily COVID-19 testing. Their [[2020-21 NBA season|2020–21]] home games were played at [[Amalie Arena]] in [[Tampa, Florida]] in an abbreviated 72-game schedule with the Raptors missing the playoffs. The Raptors played their first home game at Scotiabank Arena since the pandemic on October 20, 2021 against the [[Washington Wizards]].