A new chapter is about to be written in WNBA history with the addition of its latest team, the Toronto Tempo, who will join the league from the 2025–26 season onward. The iconic Sandy Brondello is set to lead the new expansion team, and it is shaping up to be a fresh challenge for the Aussie.
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The 57-year-old will be looking to capture three rings with three different franchises after leading the Phoenix Mercury to its first title in 2014 and the New York Liberty to a title in 2024.
To celebrate her big spotlight job, Brondello has been on a media tour. One stop included an interview with WNBA legend Sue Bird on her podcast. The 13-time All-Star’s first question to Brondello was about how it felt to be a free agent in the very competitive market. Her response included the explanation as to why she chose to join Toronto.
“Once I was let go from New York I had some interest from other teams and going through that process was fun. A little overwhelming, a little stressful just making that decision because they’re all great situations. But in the end, my heart was leading me to Toronto. To build something from scratch in a whole new city. A whole new country. It’s not just Toronto’s team. It’s Canada’s team,” Brondello stated.
Cities like Philly and Cleveland won’t see their W franchise until 2030, but the talent pool in the current crop of the league is better than ever. That’s why Brondello made a smart choice.
“Where do you feel like I’ll have the most support to build something special? Partnership. What’s their vision for the team? The roles and the alignment that we have. I think that was really a big thing. Just people, then city, and then what’s the opportunity? What’s the challenge ahead of me?” she asked.
More importantly, the Aussie is excited to have a hand in constructing something completely new. “How fun. You can start from the ground up. What kind of players do we want? Obviously, it goes beyond just trying to win a championship. It’s trying to have sustainable success and build a culture there that the Canadian public can be proud of.”
There is something brave about Brondello undertaking this task. If the Tempo hope to hit the ground running to capture the hearts of the Toronto fanbase, she’s quite experienced. And considering her eye for talent, there’s a good chance the Tempo get a decently stacked team to begin their first year next season.
So as Toronto gears up for its debut, Brondello feels like exactly the kind of steady, ambitious presence you want steering a brand-new franchise. She’s got the résumé, the vision, and the appetite for a challenge, and you can already sense how much the city, and the country, are going to buy into what she’s building.
