Serena Williams joins WNBA Toronto Tempo ownership group

Tennis legend Serena Williams has added another professional sports franchise to her growing investment portfolio. She has joined the ownership group of the Toronto Tempo, the WNBA’s newest expansion team.

The Tempo, primarily owned by Kilmer Sports Ventures under Larry Tanenbaum’s chairmanship, will become the 15th team in the Women’s National Basketball Association when it begins play in 2026. The team will be led by president Teresa Resch, who will oversee basketball and business operations as the franchise prepares for its inaugural season.

Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam champion, will actively participate in the team’s visual identity development, contributing to future jersey designs and helping create unique merchandise collaborations. Her involvement extends the tennis icon’s growing influence in professional sports ownership.

This investment adds to Williams’ already impressive portfolio of sports franchises. She holds ownership stakes in the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, the National Women’s Soccer League’s Angel City FC, and the Los Angeles Golf Club.

The Tempo will select their first players through an expansion draft scheduled to take place after the conclusion of the 2025 WNBA season. This process will allow the new franchise to build its initial roster by selecting unprotected players from existing WNBA teams.

When play begins in 2026, the Tempo will make their home at the Coca-Cola Coliseum in downtown Toronto. The team plans to expand its Canadian footprint by hosting regular-season games in Montreal and Vancouver, making the Tempo a national franchise as the first WNBA team based outside the United States.

The addition of Toronto continues the WNBA’s strategic expansion, which has seen increasing viewership, attendance, and investment in recent years. League commissioner Cathy Engelbert has prioritized growth with the Tempo following the successful launch of other recent expansion franchises.