About the event

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, began playing 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 Emeritus 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.“Montreal is an incredible basketball city, and we’re excited to bring the Tempo to Quebec as part of our inaugural season,” said Teresa Resch, President, Tempo Basketball Club. “From the very beginning, our vision has been to build a team that represents fans across the country. Being able to play WNBA games at the Bell Centre and connect with the passionate basketball community in Montreal is a special moment for our organization and for the growth of the game in Canada.”