December 5, 2024
WNBA Toronto reveals Toronto Tempo as official name
Resch: 'As Canada’s WNBA team, I know the Tempo will set our own pace'
The WNBA’s 14th franchise, in Toronto, unveiled their official name on Thursday: the Toronto Tempo.
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Per a release from the team, more than 10,000 people submitted ideas and inspiration for the name, which was chosen to “reflect the rhythm and pace of both our nation and the game of basketball.”
Thursday’s brand launch comes after the team name was posted unofficially on the WNBA website’s player directory on Tuesday evening, leading to speculation about whether the name was real.
On Wednesday, the team’s logo was also published prematurely. Originally, Toronto’s chief marketing officer Whitney Bell had mentioned that the team name launch was going to be in early 2025.
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“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 in a statement.
“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 name and identity stemmed from not only the community’s contributions, but was then presented to a community council for feedback and insights to narrow down the selections.
The name was also purposefully created to work in both French and English, Canada’s two official languages, creating an inclusive brand for fans across the country.
The Tempo logo was also launched on Thursday, which is said to reflect the team’s values — forward progress and dynamic nature of the game were listed as reasoning for the design’s lean and curvature, as well as the six lines stemming from the T representing the five players on the court and “the sixth player in the game: the fans.”
“Tempo reflects what fans can expect from this team — including, of course, the in-game experience at the arena,” continued Resch. “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.”
The Toronto Tempo will begin playing at Toronto’s Coca-Cola Coliseum in 2026, as the team looks to represent Canada as the nation’s lone WNBA franchise.
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