Welcome to the WNBA, Toronto Tempo.
The league’s newest team, to begin play in 2026, revealed its name and logo on Thursday, with the franchise pointing to the city of Toronto for providing the inspiration.
“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,” team president Teresa Resch said in a news release. “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.”
More than 10,000 people participated in the public outreach to name the team.
The logo is a light blue italicized “T” in a black circle, with six lines coming from the left side of the letter, which the team said represents the five players on the court and the fans.
“Tempo reflects what fans can expect from this team — including, of course, the in-game experience at the arena,” Resch said. “The sounds of the court. The beat of the music. The passion of the fans around you and the intensity of the players on the floor. Capturing all that energy, excitement and feeling was crucial as we chose the name for Canada’s WNBA team.”
The name and logo reveal didn’t happen without a hitch, however. Earlier this week, the league apparently modified its drop-down menu of teams and briefly included the Toronto Tempo, which fans noticed. That forced a public reveal before the team was ready.
“Well, nothing ever goes as planned,” Resch told the CBC. “But yeah, we would have loved to have our merchandise ready and be able to roll that all out at once. But we’re still really excited to share the name and logo and colors.”
The WNBA awarded an expansion franchise to Toronto in May. It will be the league’s 14th team, following the entry of the Golden State Valkyries in 2025. Portland, Ore., also was granted an expansion team in September, with plans to begin play in 2026.
The Tempo are owned and operated by Kilmer Sports Ventures, whose holdings include the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto FC of MLS.
–Field Level Media
