Tennis legend Serena Williams has formally joined the possession group of the Toronto Tempo, the WNBA’s fifteenth franchise, set to debut in 2026. The staff, backed by Kilmer Sports activities Ventures and chaired by Larry Tanenbaum, will maintain an growth draft following the 2025 season. Teresa Resch has been appointed as staff president, additional solidifying the group’s management.
Williams expressed her pleasure in regards to the alternative, emphasizing the significance of investing in girls’s sports activities. “This second isn’t just about basketball; it’s about showcasing the true worth and potential of feminine athletes – I’ve at all times stated that ladies’s sports activities are an unbelievable funding alternative,” she acknowledged. “I’m excited to associate with Larry [Tanenbaum] and all of Canada in creating this new WNBA franchise and legacy.”
Tanenbaum echoed the sentiment, praising Williams’ affect each on and off the court docket. “Serena Williams is an icon, a task mannequin, and a drive for change on the earth. She’s earned each little bit of her unbelievable success with onerous work, tenacity, and willpower within the face of numerous challenges. She exemplifies the perfect of what the Tempo stand for – we couldn’t be extra honored to have Serena in our court docket.”
Williams, who already holds possession stakes within the Miami Dolphins, Angel Metropolis FC, and Los Angeles Golf Membership, will play an lively function in designing the staff’s jerseys and growing key merchandising partnerships. Along with her ventures in sports activities, she has based a number of manufacturers, together with WYN Magnificence, S by Serena, and a profitable enterprise capital fund.
Whereas Williams continues to develop her legacy in enterprise and sports activities, she stays a cultural icon. Most just lately, she made a memorable look throughout Kendrick Lamar’s Tremendous Bowl LIX halftime present, additional cementing her standing as a worldwide ambassador for excellence.