Toronto unveils Tempo as name of 14th WNBA franchise
The Toronto Tempo will be the name of the WNBA's 14th franchise, the club announced Thursday.
The Tempo will join the WNBA in 2026 as the league's first team outside the United States.
Introducing @TempoBasketball
— WNBA (@WNBA) December 5, 2024
Tip-off 2026. pic.twitter.com/59M2V11Li0
"Tempo is pace. It's speed. It's a heartbeat. And it's what you feel when you step into the streets of this city and in the energy of the people who call Canada home," said Teresa Resch, president of the Toronto Tempo. "As Canada's WNBA team, I know the Tempo will set our own pace, move at a championship cadence, and inspire people across this country."
The heartbeat of competition is Tempo— the unseen force that shapes the game.
— Toronto Tempo (@TempoBasketball) December 5, 2024
Introducing your Toronto Tempo, the WNBA’s first international expansion team. #TorontoTempo pic.twitter.com/eCNT4AYkuG
The public entered over 10,000 submissions in an open search to help pick the team name.
The Tempo's logo will feature a light-blue basketball with a trail that looks as if it's in motion and a "T" in the middle. The team's colors will be blue and red.
The name was designed to work in both English and French to reflect the two native languages of Canada.
Kilmer Sports Ventures will own and operate the team, reportedly paying US$115 million for the franchise. The club will play at the 8,700-seat Coca-Cola Coliseum, also home to the AHL's Toronto Marlies.
The WNBA announced in May 2024 that it awarded Toronto and Portland expansion teams. The Golden State Valkyries will also join the league in 2025.