Overlap of Tempo Pride game, Dyke March a disappointing oversight, fans say

TORONTO — Some LGBTQ+ fans of the Toronto Tempo say they’re disheartened they’re being forced to choose between attending the team’s first-ever Pride game and a beloved Pride event this weekend because the match directly overlaps with the annual Dyke March in the city’s gay village.

The Tempo will take on the Phoenix Mercury at 2 p.m. Saturday at Scotiabank Arena, the same time the Dyke March kicks off in the Church-Wellesley neighbourhood. Saturday’s game will also be the team’s first played at Scotiabank Arena.

Krystle Merrow, who lives in Toronto, will be missing the Dyke March for the first time in 15 years to make it to Saturday’s game.

But they say the choice was not an easy one, and some of their friends declined to come along in favour of the march.

Tempo communications director Bri Bijman says the team heard feedback from fans about the scheduling conflict and will try to keep Pride games from overlapping with other celebrations in the future.

Bijman also says the team requests game dates far in advance, but the Pride game timing was out of their control because the WNBA sets tip-off times.

Merrow sees the Play with Pride night as a historic first and is excited to see the team at Scotiabank Arena.

But they’re crushed to be missing the community atmosphere at the march, saying they feel love, anger and bravery walking arm-in-arm down the street with other queer people in protest and celebration.

“I probably go back and forth every day about it,” said Merrow, who is also a Tempo season ticket holder.

“It sucks that it’s at the exact same time as the Tempo game — the game they’re saying is specifically for Pride,” Merrow said. “If it was just one hour later, we could have marched to the Tempo game.”

Alethea Bakogeorge, a lesbian and queer organizer from Toronto, said she is choosing the Dyke March over attending the game, and she too wishes the team had planned around the beloved annual advocacy event.

“It’s disappointing that the Tempo — in a league that caters to so many queer women and celebrates the athleticism of so many queer individuals — didn’t have more foresight in planning,” Bakogeorge said.

Bakogeorge and Merrow both acknowledged that scheduling matches is complicated, especially in the team’s first year, and said they hope the league is able to land on more convenient timing for next year’s Pride game.

“If they can change it for next year, I’m sure a lot of people would be very happy about it,” Merrow said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 26, 2026.

Elissa Mendes, The Canadian Press