Holly Rowe had a job to do on Tuesday night. But before she took the ESPN mic, the veteran WNBA sideline reporter spent the pregame wiping away tears.
Before the Fever vs Tempo matchup at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena, Rowe posted a video of herself overcome by the sold-out crowd of more than 19,000.
Holly Rowe Crying Tips Off Fever vs Tempo Thriller
"I keep crying because look at what they have built in Canada," she said. The game had been moved from the Toronto Tempo's usual home at Coca-Cola Coliseum to accommodate demand.
That demand is something the Tempo have been fielding all season.
Toronto is one of two WNBA expansion teams this season alongside the Portland Fire. Yet in just its first few months in the league, the Tempo filled a major arena. A July matchup against the Dallas Wings set a new regular-season attendance record with over 20,000 fans in attendance.
Still, Holly Rowe crying on camera drew as much attention as tip off itself. Her reaction captured how far the league has come in its 30th year.
Once the game started, Indiana pulled away behind Kelsey Mitchell's 29 points and Caitlin Clark's 24 points and seven assists to secure its fifth straight win. The Tempo were knocked out of playoffs contention with the loss, but what the expansion side accomplished in its inaugural season is just as impressive as punching a postseason ticket.
