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Next move for WNBA's expansion Tempo: Naming a general manager

WNBA expansion team Toronto announced its name -- the Tempo -- on Thursday and expects its next big move will be naming a general manager.

"We hope to have someone in place by free agency," Tempo president Teresa Resch told ESPN. "There are a lot of great basketball minds out there, and I'm enjoying the conversations I'm having throughout the process."

Teams can start negotiating with free agents Jan. 21 and can begin signing players Feb. 1. The Tempo won't take part in 2025 free agency, but Resch believes it will be beneficial to have a GM in place to monitor all the activity in preparation for 2026.

"We're going to need to play a large role in free agency then," she said.

The Tempo will take more time before deciding on a coach. And while the logo is now out, it may be a while before the actual uniforms are released. The expansion Golden State Valkyries, who begin play in 2025, just released their uniforms Thursday after announcing their name and logo in May.

However, that doesn't mean fans will have to wait that long for Tempo merchandise. Resch said that will be coming soon, with the logo and the colors -- officially Nike Bordeaux and hydrogen blue -- already decided.

Resch said "Tempo" was a name that stood out early as the team had solicited submissions from the public.

"We just liked what it meant about basketball," she said. "We loved the alliteration; there were just many things about it that made it stick."

Resch said while the Tempo's home arena will be the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto -- which she expects will hold approximately 8,700 for basketball games -- the team will play some of its home games in other Canadian cities.

"Corporate Canada has been really supportive of us coast-to-coast," Resch said. "We look forward to bringing the game to people who have never experienced it before. We want to be Canada's team."

The WNBA's third expansion team will be in Portland, which also will begin play in 2026. Portland has not released its name or logo. There was previously a WNBA team in that city from 2000 to 2002 called the Fire.