Toronto Tempo’s Inaugural Season in Limbo Amid Ongoing CBA Talks
The countdown to the Toronto Tempo’s historic debut in the WNBA is officially on pause - at least for now. With just three months to go before the franchise is set to tip off its first game on May 8 against the Washington Mystics at Coca-Cola Coliseum, the league and its players’ union are still without a new collective bargaining agreement.
That looming uncertainty has cast a shadow over what should be a celebratory moment for Canada’s first WNBA team.
WNBA players’ union president Nneka Ogwumike spoke candidly in a recent interview, acknowledging that there’s still a significant gap between the league and the union on key issues - most notably revenue sharing. While she emphasized the players’ desire to play this season, Ogwumike didn’t shy away from the reality that a lot of work remains to get there.
“I know our players 100% want to play this year,” she said. “We want a season.”
That sentiment is echoed across the league, but the clock is ticking. Several critical pieces of the offseason puzzle - including the expansion draft, free agency, and the rookie draft - are still up in the air.
The expansion draft, which would help stock the rosters of both the Tempo and the new Portland franchise, was expected to happen back in December. Without that, the teams are still in wait-and-see mode.
For the Tempo, the delay is especially frustrating. Since Toronto was officially awarded a franchise in May 2024, the organization has been steadily building momentum. The name and logo dropped in December 2024, and the team has been assembling a leadership group with serious WNBA credentials.
Monica Wright Rogers was named the franchise’s first general manager on February 20, 2025. A former assistant GM with the Phoenix Mercury and two-time WNBA champion as a player with the Minnesota Lynx, Wright Rogers brings a winning pedigree and front-office experience to the expansion squad.
Then came another major hire: Sandy Brondello was announced as the Tempo’s first head coach on November 4, 2025. Brondello is one of the most respected names in women’s basketball, having coached the Phoenix Mercury to a title in 2014 and most recently guiding the New York Liberty to a championship in 2024. Her presence on the sidelines gives Toronto instant credibility.
The branding has also been a hit. The Tempo’s home and away jerseys were unveiled in December 2025, giving fans their first real taste of the team’s identity. The look is sharp, modern, and unmistakably Toronto - and it’s already generating buzz.
As for the schedule, it’s a coast-to-coast affair. While the majority of home games will be played at Coca-Cola Coliseum, the Tempo are taking their show on the road - in a good way.
Two games will be held at Bell Centre in Montreal and two more at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, a clear signal that the team intends to represent more than just the 6ix. And for fans circling dates on the calendar, August 18 stands out: that’s when Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever come to town for a marquee matchup at Scotiabank Arena.
So yes, the pieces are in place. The jerseys are sharp, the coaching staff is elite, and the schedule is loaded with intrigue. But until the league and the union bridge the gap on a new CBA, the Tempo - and the entire WNBA - remain in a holding pattern.
The desire to play is there. The excitement is real. Now, it’s just a matter of making it all happen.