Raptors playoff experience is already fueling high expectations for the Tempo

Toronto’s newest basketball team is busy building its inaugural roster, going through training camp, and establishing an identity for the first WNBA team in Canada. But some of the players still had time to go out to support the Toronto Raptors in their first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. And let’s just say, the Raptors and their fans are already inspiring high expectations for the Tempo’s inaugural season. 

When asked about her experience at the Raptors’ game at Tempo media day, Marina Mabrey said, “It was lit. I was like, I hope it sounds like this in Coca-Cola. They had synchronized chants which I thought was cool.” 

She also added, “The chemistry of the fans was so cool, and then just the experience, the game was amazing obviously last night and I just hope that we can build that for the Tempo, too.”

Her co-star Brittney Sykes agreed, and both noted that going to a Raptors game was the most fun thing they have done in Toronto so far. 

The Tempo can learn a lot from the Raptors

Being a Toronto-based franchise in a U.S. league is a unique opportunity. It offers a chance to win over an entire country and opens a whole new market of brand deals and sponsorships, which are huge for WNBA players, but establishing that connection with fans in Toronto and across Canada is no small feat. 

So, there’s a lot to learn for a brand-new franchise in a growing league. The Tempo’s Raptors connections will certainly help. Owners Larry Tanenbaum and Masai Ujiri were both involved with the Raptors and know what it takes to build a winning team in Toronto. 

The Tempo’s first season should be exciting

Usually, expectations for expansion teams shouldn’t be too high, but the Golden State Valkyries proved last year that a trip to the playoffs is definitely in the cards for a new team. Toronto seems eager to step into their footsteps, and there’s reason to believe that they can. 

Sandy Brondello is a championship coach. She led the Phoenix Mercury and the New York Liberty to titles before coming to Toronto. Brondello and GM Monica Wright assembled a solid roster, too. 

Brittney Sykes is the biggest get of the offseason. All-Star veterans don’t often throw their lot in with a new, unproven team. Marina Mabrey may not have been an All-Star yet, but she’s capable of star-level performances (she scored 47 points in an Unrivaled game in January). 

The rest of the roster is made up of solid role players, like hometown talent Kia Nurse, Nikolina Milic, Kitija Laksa, Lexi Held, Isabelle Harrison, Temi Fagbenle, and Julie Allemand—and some younger players with star potential. Nyara Sabally never truly got to spread her wings in New York due to injuries and stars taking up a big chunk of the frontcourt minutes. Kiki Rice just finished a very successful career at UCLA and looks ready for the next level. 

So, there’s really no reason why fans in Toronto shouldn’t show up for the Tempo as they do for the Raptors. 

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