Latest news with #TempoLIVE
Cision Canada
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Cision Canada
TORONTO TEMPO MARKS ONE YEAR TO TIP-OFF WITH IMMERSIVE TEMPO LIVE EVENT
TORONTO, May 16, 2025 /CNW/ - The countdown is on! For the first time ever, the Toronto Tempo is giving fans the chance to come together in person at Tempo LIVE, a can't-miss celebration at STACKT Market on May 24 & 25. The event kicks off a countdown to tip-off - the team is just one year away from making its WNBA debut. Tempo LIVE, presented in partnership with Destination Toronto, will feature a collection of immersive and interactive fan experiences, including: Tempo Fan Camp, presented by founding partner CIBC – the ultimate rally spot where visitors can make their own pennant flags, get Tempo airbrush tattoos, and sign a banner that will hang at future Tempo home court Coca-Cola Coliseum. The Tempo Talks Speaker Series, presented by founding partner Sephora Canada – featuring an array of conversations on the beauty of basketball culture. Scheduled speakers include General Manager of the Toronto Tempo, Monica Wright Rogers, Juno Award-winning artist, Jully Black, VP of Product of October's Very Own (OVO), Michael Kerr, and the newest addition to the Tempo ownership group – Canadian actress, writer and advocate, Lilly Singh. Merchandise pop-up shop featuring Peace Collective, Roots, and Nike. An interactive and inclusive basketball skills course called the "Tempo Drill," where fans can show off their hustle on the court to win a pair of tickets to a future Tempo game. Fans will be able to place a deposit on season tickets and memberships on-site. Deposits can also be made online at "Our fans are at the heart of this team," explains Whitney Bell, Chief Marketing Officer, Tempo Basketball Club. "There's no better way to mark a year to tip-off than by bringing that community together and letting them experience the Tempo brand in person. We can't wait to get a first taste of the passion, energy and excitement that is going to power this team into 2026 and beyond." The team is also marking a year to tip-off with the release of a :60 film centred on the concept of 'tempo' – the heartbeat of competition and the unseen force that drives the game. Set to the rhythm of our city and the pace of the game, the spot captures the unstoppable energy and diversity of a team—and a country—on the rise. Tempo LIVE is taking place on May 24 & 25, 2025, from 11:00 A.M. until 8:00 P.M. EST at STACKT Market (28 Bathurst Street, Toronto). Fans can sign up for more information about the event and RSVP to panels at Entry will be subject to capacity. While registering doesn't secure a spot, registrants will be kept close to event details as they unfold. About Toronto Tempo In May 2024, the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) announced its expansion into Canada by awarding Toronto an expansion team, the league's first outside the United States. The new team, owned by Kilmer Sports Ventures, will begin play in the 2026 season as the WNBA's 14th franchise. Sephora Canada and CIBC are the team's first announced founding partners. Larry Tanenbaum, Chairman of Kilmer Sports Ventures and a 30-year veteran of building championship-caliber teams, is also Chairman of the NBA Board of Governors and Chairman of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the NBA's Toronto Raptors, NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, MLS' Toronto FC and other professional sports franchises. Under his leadership, the Raptors won their first NBA championship in 2019.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WNBA Toronto Franchise Builds ‘Canada's Team' Amid Tariff Tension
Canada's first WNBA team has a long to-do list before it tips off its inaugural season. The Toronto Tempo are looking to build their fan base and sign more corporate partners, among other goals. Their arrival in a major sports market next season though comes amid strained relations between the U.S. and Canada. The Trump administration has not only imposed tariffs on goods, but the president has also floated the idea of the country becoming the '51st state,' which has angered many of the U.S's northern neighbors. Advertisement More from Tempo president Teresa Resch says she and her staff are monitoring the situation, as many Canadians are reconsidering their relationship with the U.S. 'We're paying very close attention,' Resch said in a phone interview. 'Because we're Canada's team, there's a lot of national pride around that.' The tension between both countries—exacerbated by an ongoing trade war—has extended to sports with Canadian hockey and basketball fans at times booing the U.S. national anthem before games. In baseball, not as many Toronto Blue Jays fans as in years past are making the trip to watch their favorite team face the Mariners in Seattle. It's part of the overall decline in border crossings between the U.S. and Canada since the tariffs were imposed, dropping 17%, according to U.S. customs and border protection data. Advertisement Resch, a former Toronto Raptors executive who has dual citizenship, said that the franchise's early days haven't negatively been impacted by the diplomatic spat, at least not yet. The league's 14th team has already received more than 8,000 season-ticket deposits without formal marketing. 'We feel like sports is an incredible diplomatic tool,' she said. 'More than anything, people come to sports to escape some of their worries from a day-to-day… We want super intense Tempo fans and look forward to creating spaces where people can enjoy life.' Kilmer Sports Ventures, owned by billionaire businessman Larry Tanenbaum, has committed to spend more than $100 million on the expansion team. It has already inked two founding sponsors with Toronto bank CIBC and Sephora Canada. The beauty brand notably announced last year that it did not make large donations to Trump's presidential campaign after various viral social media posts calling for a boycott alleged that it did. While the Tempo look to fill other major sponsorship categories over the next year, with commercial rights across the country secured, they're also looking to drive brand awareness locally. They're slated to host their first live fan event called Tempo LIVE in downtown Toronto next weekend. Advertisement The Tempo, which call tennis icon Serena Williams and media star Lilly Singh limited partners, have received information and best practice notes from the Golden State Valkyries, who begin their inaugural season this week. They've also been in communication with leadership at Portland's new expansion WNBA team. Resch says the franchise will also try to capitalize on fan engagement and other related initiatives that the Blue Jays and Raptors have previously found to be successful. The team's new general manager Monica Wright Rogers meanwhile will spend this upcoming season evaluating talent for both the expansion and college draft as well as preparing for a historic free agency period next year. Expanding the league's presence in Canada, the Tempo are scheduled to begin play at Toronto's Coca-Cola Coliseum next year and will also host regular season games in Montreal and Vancouver. The WNBA will play its first regular season game outside of the U.S., a matchup between the Atlanta Dream and Seattle Storm, in Vancouver in August. Despite the strained relationship between both countries at the political level, the Tempo are focused on having a smooth launch next year and adding to the W's current momentum. 'We can really help the league grow,' Resch said. 'Exposure and recognition of the league is low [here], and we hope to change that.' Advertisement Best of Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
