Toronto Tempo Nets A Winner with Sephora Canada

by SponsorshipX NEWS Staff

In a series of firsts, Sephora was recently announced as the first founding partner and first jersey patch of the first-ever WNBA team outside of the United States, the Toronto Tempo. 

In a world where beauty and athletics are no longer separated, this new partnership comes within days of Sephora's announcement of a new collaboration with Unrivaled. This innovative professional women's basketball league plays three to three games on a compressed court.

Sephora continues demonstrating that they are in the empowerment business with the deal with Tempo. “We jumped at the chance to help build this team from the ground up and shape the cultural conversation in Canada around beauty and basketball through our partnership with the Toronto Tempo,” says Allison Litzinger, SVP, Marketing, Sephora Canada. “Women’s basketball embraces the unique identities of athletes who bring their full selves to the game, on and off the court, and it has the power to bring so many diverse people together through a shared passion. By celebrating the Beauty of Sport and the inspiring women who fuel it, we’ll show Canadians that we all belong to something beautiful.”

Around the WNBA, the cosmetic category is active, featuring many deals over the past several years. In 2020, Glossier became the WNBA's first official beauty partner.   This partnership has evolved to include activations at major league events and WNBA-themed content that amplifies players' voices and stories.  Recently,  Mielle, a Black-founded and woman-led beauty brand, entered a multi-year partnership with the WNBA, becoming an official marketing partner and the league's official textured hair care partner. On a team basis,  Urban Decay has partnered with the Los Angeles Sparks, providing makeup services before games and hosting events such as Pride Night and Fan Appreciation Night. In 2023, NYX became the official makeup sponsor of the New York Liberty, marking the team's first partnership with a cosmetics company.  The team had earlier signed Hero Cosmetics and became the first official beauty partner of the New York Liberty, sponsoring the team's starting five and engaging in various fan activations.  

Beyond team deals, the category is also active with media platforms. Witness the iHeart Women's Sports Audio Network, which has partnered with e.l.f. Cosmetics and e.l.f. SKIN as a founding partner. This collaboration aims to amplify women's sports and provide a platform dedicated exclusively to female athletes. 

As a beacon of inclusion, Sephora is a natural ally for the Tempo. The brand, whose logo will grace Tempo jerseys when the team takes the court in 2026, shares a core set of values with the team, as explained by Toronto Tempo President Teresa Resch. This alignment of values underscores the authenticity and depth of this partnership, promising a future of empowerment and growth for women's sports in Canada.

“From day one, we’ve been building so much more than a sports team with the Toronto Tempo - we’ve been building a community,” Resch says. “And there is no brand in Canada better suited to help us deliver on that vision than Sephora Canada. This is one of the most deeply inclusive, purpose-driven, passionate organizations in this country, and they’re going to work hand-in-hand with us to elevate women’s sport in Canada in unprecedented ways.”

While a year away from playing their first game on the court, the Tempo is already scoring their first points in the Boardroom. 

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