Canada’s first WNBA team has its first partner. Sephora Canada is a Founding Partner and the Official Beauty Partner of the Toronto Tempo, the team announced on Thursday.
The brand, whose logo will adorn Tempo jerseys when play begins in 2026, shares a foundational set of values with the team, said Toronto Tempo President Teresa Resch in a news release.
“From day one, we’ve been building so much more than a sports team with the Toronto Tempo – we’ve been building a community,” said Resch. “And there is no brand in Canada better suited to help us deliver on that vision than Sephora Canada. This is one of the most deeply inclusive, purpose-driven, passionate organizations in this country, and they’re going to work hand-in-hand with us to elevate women’s sport in unprecedented ways.”
For Sephora Canada, the multi-year Toronto Tempo relationship is more than just a brand partnership, it’s an opportunity to harness the power of sport to expand the way Canadians see beauty and create even more inclusivity. This landmark commitment reflects the deep fit between how the brand and the team see the world, and their shared desire to champion individuality, diversity and belonging, said the company.
“We jumped at the chance to help build this team from the ground up and shape the cultural conversation in Canada around beauty and basketball through our partnership with the Toronto Tempo,” said Allison Litzinger, SVP, Marketing, Sephora Canada. “Women’s basketball embraces the unique identities of athletes who bring their full selves to the game, on and off the court, and it has the power to bring so many diverse people together through a shared passion. By celebrating the Beauty of Sport and the inspiring women who fuel it, we’ll show Canadians that we all belong to something beautiful.”
Sephora Canada said it will bring its partnership with the Toronto Tempo to life through integrated campaigns that will include community programming, retail activations, social media integrations and in-arena programming.
“With the launch of the Toronto Tempo, we’re changing the game – for girls, for women, for sports fans and for all Canadians. And we couldn’t be more thrilled that Sephora Canada will be our partners on this journey,” added Resch. “The impact of this historic partnership will be felt across Canada for years to come.”
The Toronto Tempo will begin playing at Toronto’s Coca-Cola Coliseum in 2026.
Sephora has a global omnichannel network of more than 3,000 stores. It was founded in 1969 in Limoges, France, and has been part of the LVMH Group since 1997.
“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 and operated by Kilmer Sports Ventures, will begin play in the 2026 season as the WNBA’s 14th franchise. Sephora Canada is the team’s first announced founding partner. 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,” explained the news release.
