Who owns the Toronto Tempo? The team is owned by Kilmer Sports Ventures, the group led by businessman Larry Tanenbaum, chairman of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.
The Tempo is the WNBA’s first franchise located outside the United States, and it tips off its inaugural season in Toronto in 2026.
Tanenbaum leads the group, but he is not alone. Serena Williams, Lilly Singh, and several other high profile investors hold stakes in the club too.
Canada has waited a long time for a team like this, and the ownership group knows the entire country is watching closely.
So who is really steering this brand new franchise, how much did it cost to join the league, and what does the group plan to do with basketball’s newest team north of the border? Keep reading to find out.
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Who Really Owns The Toronto Tempo
The Toronto Tempo is owned by Kilmer Sports Ventures, a company controlled by Larry Tanenbaum and his wife Judy Tanenbaum. Larry Tanenbaum is already the chairman of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the organization behind the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Toronto Raptors.
It is worth noting that Kilmer Sports Ventures is a separate entity from MLSE, and it should not be confused with Rogers Communications, the company that owns the Toronto Blue Jays. Tanenbaum built this ownership group specifically to bring a WNBA franchise to Canada.
| Team | Toronto Tempo |
| Current Owner | Larry Tanenbaum (Kilmer Sports Ventures) |
| Expansion Fee | 50 Million Dollars USD |
| Founded | Announced May 23, 2024 |
| League | WNBA, Eastern Conference |
| Arena | Coca Cola Coliseum, Toronto |
| Inaugural Season | May 2026 |
Meet Kilmer Sports Ventures The Group Behind The Tempo
Kilmer Sports Ventures is the holding company Tanenbaum uses for his sports investments outside of MLSE. Beyond Larry and Judy Tanenbaum, the ownership circle includes tennis great Serena Williams, entertainer Lilly Singh, technology executive Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson, MLSE executive France Margaret Belanger, and former Raptors president Masai Ujiri.
Principal Owner and Chairman
Independent Shareholder
Investor Owner
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How Much Was The Toronto Tempo Expansion Fee
Kilmer Sports Ventures paid the WNBA an expansion fee of 50 million dollars USD to secure the franchise, according to reporting from the CBC and multiple outlets that covered the May 2024 announcement.
That fee only covered entry into the league. Tanenbaum has said his personal investment, including the 25 million dollars spent renovating Coca Cola Coliseum, pushed his total commitment toward 150 million dollars.
Who Is Larry Tanenbaum
Larry Tanenbaum is one of the most prominent figures in Canadian sports business. He chairs Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the company behind the Maple Leafs, Raptors, and Toronto FC, and he was part of the Raptors ownership group that won the NBA championship in 2019.
With the Tempo, Tanenbaum stepped outside MLSE to build something new. He has repeatedly framed the club as a national project rather than a purely local one, telling reporters he wants the Tempo to represent every province, not just the city of Toronto.
Who Are The Other Toronto Tempo Owners
Judy Tanenbaum joined as an independent shareholder, marking her first direct financial stake in one of her husband’s sports ventures. Serena Williams, a longtime advocate for women’s sports, also holds an ownership position, adding global visibility to the young franchise.
The rest of the group blends business and sports experience. Sukhinder Singh Cassidy brings a technology background, Geoff Molson already owns the Montreal Canadiens, France Margaret Belanger is a senior MLSE executive, and Masai Ujiri built his reputation as the Raptors president who delivered Toronto’s only NBA title.
Toronto Tempo Ownership Timeline From Announcement To Tip Off
The WNBA awards Toronto its first Canadian franchise, led by Kilmer Sports Ventures.
Monica Wright Rogers is named the team’s first general manager in February.
Sandy Brondello is brought in as the inaugural head coach in November.
The Tempo reveals its official jerseys and colors in December, ahead of the season.
The Tempo fills out its inaugural roster through the expansion draft and the college draft in April.
Toronto Tempo plays its first regular season game on May 8 at Coca Cola Coliseum.
Where Do The Toronto Tempo Play Home Games
The Tempo plays its home games at Coca Cola Coliseum, an arena with about 8,500 seats that Tanenbaum spent roughly 25 million dollars renovating ahead of the launch. Ownership has also committed to hosting select games in Vancouver and Montreal, so fans across the country get a chance to see the team live.
A permanent practice facility, budgeted at around 100 million dollars, is planned to open by 2028. Until then, the team trains at the Goldring Centre at the University of Toronto.
Is Larry Tanenbaum A Good Owner: Is The Toronto Tempo Ownership Really Worth It
Tanenbaum’s track record gives Tempo fans real reason for confidence. As chairman of MLSE, he was part of the group that delivered Toronto its first NBA championship with the Raptors in 2019, and he has decades of experience running professional franchises at a high level.
On the positive side, Tanenbaum has already spent close to 150 million dollars getting the Tempo off the ground, he recruited a genuinely elite ownership group that includes Serena Williams and Masai Ujiri, and he has publicly promised the front office will not be satisfied with a rebuilding approach.
The other side of the ledger is that the Tempo is an unproven franchise. There is no on court history yet to judge, arena capacity is modest compared to established NBA and NHL venues, and expansion teams across every sport typically need several seasons before results catch up to ambition.
Whether the investment ultimately pays off will depend on how the roster performs once games actually begin.
How Does Toronto Tempo Ownership Compare To Other WNBA Teams
Most WNBA franchises are owned by the same groups that control an NBA team in the same city, or by dedicated ownership groups formed specifically for women’s basketball. The Tempo follows the second pattern.
Kilmer Sports Ventures is legally separate from MLSE, even though Tanenbaum chairs both, which lets the Tempo build its own budget, staff, and identity apart from the Raptors and Maple Leafs.
That structure mirrors recent expansion teams like the Golden State Valkyries, which also launched under a purpose built ownership group rather than folding into an existing NBA organization.
Compared to that league wide trend, the Tempo fits a familiar pattern of well capitalized owners entering women’s basketball as a growth opportunity, not simply an add on to an existing franchise.
Could The Toronto Tempo Be Sold In 2026
A sale in 2026 is highly unlikely. The Tempo is a brand new franchise that just paid a 50 million dollar expansion fee and is only weeks from its first ever tip off, and WNBA rules generally require new owners to hold a team for a set period before any transfer is even considered.
Tanenbaum has also been explicit about his long term commitment, describing championship ambitions measured in years, not months.
Everything about the ownership group, from the size of the investment to the public statements, points toward a group that plans to hold the franchise for a long time, not flip it.
For readers following ownership stories across professional sports, the WNBA follows many of the same rules other major leagues use when it comes to approving new owners and franchise sales, similar to the process outlined in our guide to who owns the NFL.
You can read more about the franchise directly from the league itself on the official Toronto Tempo website, and background coverage of the launch is also available from CBC Sports and from the team’s Wikipedia page.
Frequently Asked Questions About Toronto Tempo Ownership
Who Is The Owner Of The Toronto Tempo
The Toronto Tempo is owned by Kilmer Sports Ventures, the company controlled by Larry and Judy Tanenbaum, alongside investors including Serena Williams, Lilly Singh, and Masai Ujiri.
How Much Was The Toronto Tempo Expansion Fee
The WNBA charged Kilmer Sports Ventures an expansion fee of 50 million dollars USD to add the Tempo to the league, on top of tens of millions spent locally on the arena and facilities.
Where Do The Toronto Tempo Play Their Home Games
Home games are played at Coca Cola Coliseum in Toronto, with select games also scheduled in Vancouver and Montreal so fans across Canada can attend.
When Did The Toronto Tempo Play Their First Game
The franchise tipped off its inaugural season on May 8, 2026, at Coca Cola Coliseum, completing a journey that began with the league announcement back in May 2024.
I am Jack Neel, a mechanical engineer, researcher, and writer. I created this website to share my knowledge about different brands and products with you. I research the manufacturers behind the brands and provide you with the information you need to make smart buying decisions.