Toronto Tempo president Teresa Resch has one assure: her staff can have jerseys in time for tip-off subsequent season.
“That is what I can 100 per cent decide to. The rest, I’d be mendacity,” Resch stated in a current dialog with CBC Sports activities.
But as preparations for Canada’s first WNBA staff intensify with one 12 months till its debut, Resch and her rising crew have already needed to place their order for on-court merchandise — observe gear, bench put on, teaching apparel and the like.
Even and not using a jersey design.
“We haven’t any thought who our coach goes to be, or any of our gamers. The deadlines do not change for us. So we needed to place that order,” Resch stated.
The 2025 WNBA season begins Might 16. For Toronto, it additionally serves because the unofficial one 12 months out marker. And whereas roots have been planted for the franchise — a president, basic supervisor, nickname and brand being probably the most notable — there’s nonetheless a lot left to do earlier than the Tempo play basketball.
To honour the event, the staff will maintain what it’s billing as its first stay occasion — a meet and greet in downtown Toronto Might 24-25. There are plans to carry related public occasions throughout Canada all through the season.
In a 12 months from now, nevertheless, there will likely be basketball to be performed.
Resch stated she has nonetheless not but obtained any indication from the league on what the enlargement draft may appear like when the Tempo enter alongside an enlargement sister in Portland.
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The newly employed Tempo basic supervisor talks targets for the 2026 WNBA season and the way she plans to construct a championship-winning staff.
She additionally would not handle the collective bargaining settlement, which expires after this season and represents the one anvil that would blow up the Tempo’s inaugural season.
No matter how that every one performs out, the free-agent class is about to be historic.
“We all know that there’s a very massive variety of gamers [whose] the contracts will expire at finish of the season and we sit up for participating with and speaking to these gamers about probably being in Toronto,” Resch stated.
Within the meantime, GM Monica Wright Rogers has already hit the highway in school and pre-season video games to scout potential Tempo targets.
Resch stated she hasn’t absolutely set her personal schedule for the season, however she plans to be in Vancouver for the first-ever regular-season WNBA sport in Canada on Aug. 15 in addition to Indiana for all-star weekend.
In any other case, Resch simply needs to devour plenty of basketball.
“Clearly we’re scouting as properly, like understanding what’s occurring within the league, how the [expansion Golden State] Valkyries are [doing], a few of the issues which might be working properly for them hopefully we are able to implement ourselves and likewise study from something that type of goes sideways,” Resch stated.
She additionally hopes to realize data off the court docket.
“That is actually the primary season that we’ll have folks devoted to the Tempo in order that we are able to really be actually targeted on these learnings. So there’s loads we are able to study from the enterprise facet. Going to the video games, understanding the in-arena experiences in addition to a few of the again finish,” Resch stated.
“What’s unbelievable concerning the W is it’s a nice group and there is loads of greatest practices shared.”
Behind the scenes, the Tempo staff has grown to 18 folks, and issues are starting to speed up as a result of elevated personnel.
The general feeling among the many Tempo’s first dozen-and-a-half hires? Pleasure.
“I imply, take into consideration your personal life whenever you’re beginning one thing new. And there is simply loads of pleasure as a result of all of us go into one thing feeling very constructive, proper? We all know that it is not gonna be a straightforward journey, however we’re up for the problem and enthusiastic about it. There’s loads of momentum, loads of positivity, good vibes day-after-day. So it is good to have that,” Resch stated.
The budding group has helped remodel the Tempo into an operational enterprise — a particular step ahead from when 12 months in the past when Resch and CFO Patrick Lee had been the staff’s first hires.
Nonetheless, it’s early levels. The Tempo proceed to implement back-end enterprise software program like CRM and ERP methods, amongst different “acronyms that I had no thought what they stood for six months in the past,” Resch stated with amusing.
The objective is short-term ache for long-term acquire.
“We’ll be capable to discover out extra about our fan base, we’ll be capable to interact with them in a extra personalised manner. We’ll be capable to have monetary paperwork that are not so handbook so we are able to monitor our progress and ensure we’re working a extremely nice enterprise,” Resch stated.
Elsewhere, there proceed to be job postings on LinkedIn to affix the Tempo, together with one for a director of basketball operations to work side-by-side with Wright Rogers.
The staff additionally retains including to its possession group, with Xero CEO Sukhinder Singh Cassidy lately becoming a member of Larry Tanenbaum and Serena Williams. Resch stated one other addition will likely be introduced quickly.
And so, slowly however certainly, issues are coming collectively for the Tempo — and the group is studying collectively.
“You are constructing that technique from scratch, which is a extremely nice alternative, but in addition means you do not have historicals to base it on. You’ve gotten some market analysis and issues throughout the league, however nothing that has really occurred in your market on your staff earlier than,” Resch stated.
“So, I imply, these issues are simply thrilling. You possibly can name them challenges. I believe it is simply alternatives to make your mark and set the tone for what’s going to be an extremely profitable franchise for a few years to return.”
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