FanDuel has been named the first-ever official sports betting, casino and iGaming partner of the new Toronto Tempo WNBA franchise, featuring exclusive fan initiatives, in-arena brand visibility and digital activations.
The Toronto Tempo were formed by Kilmer Sports Ventures and are currently led by Larry Tanenbaum who paid the WNBA a $50m expansion fee during 2024. The franchise also represents the first-ever WNBA team to be located outside the US.
"One word to describe this partnership is transformative," Toronto Tempo CRO Lisa Ferkul said.
"Welcoming FanDuel marks a significant milestone for our organization as we continue to build Canada's first WNBA team and deepen fan engagement."
FanDuel has partnered with the WNBA since 2017 and signed a five-year extension with the professional women’s basketball league in September 2022.
The Tempo will kick off its inaugural regular season on May 8 against the Washington Mystics, with home games set to take place from the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Ontario.
FanDuel VP of Marketing Tom Burdakin spoke on the collaboration, having said, "Partnering with the Toronto Tempo in their inaugural season is an exciting opportunity for FanDuel customers and basketball fans.
"As a company that shares the same passion for community and empowering women's sports, we are proud to support a new franchise that will celebrate fans and elevate women's professional sports in Canada."
While FanDuel continues to grow its presence across women’s professional sports, the operator did confirm plans to phase out FanDuel TV operations by the end of 2027 to Global Gaming Insider, resulting in the elimination of over 100 jobs.
FanDuel CEO Amy Howe, as well as GM of Racing Andrew Moore, commented on how investments required to distribute a linear television network failed to align with the operator’s long-term strategy.
While the operator’s long-term roadmap and core businesses could reflect greater focus on efforts related to prediction markets, Moore told reporters the offering has not had a significant impact on its existing businesses.
FanDuel introduced sports betting’s first-ever full-game injury protection on April 20, offering users a 3% surcharge on the total wager amount in exchange for refunds if a player departs the game early
