From The Sceptres To The Tempo, There's a Buzz And Boom For Women's Sports In Toronto

This past weekend, the Toronto Sceptres played to a sold-out crowd at Scotiabank Arena, but I hope I am not telling you that for the first time. In fact, if you are unaware about the role women's athletics currently play in Toronto, then you are simply not paying attention.

While the Sceptres are the first team in Toronto to begin their journey as a franchise, the social buzz surrounding the future of women’s sports has never been higher, grabbing the attention of the majority of the city.

This was the second game the Sceptres played in Scotiabank Arena, which has been labelled as the Battle on Bay Street game. It has been an opportunity for fans to pack Toronto’s biggest sports arena and not only cheer on the team, but celebrate the advancements women’s sports has made in the last decade.

Especially in a time where the sports world in Toronto is not at its prime, people are looking for any bright spot. The Toronto Raptors are in free fall toward the bottom of the NBA, the Blue Jays, Toronto FC and Toronto Marlies have been underwhelming and the Toronto Maple Leafs… are also around; so the rise of women’s sports in the city has been one of the few positive storylines.

The Sceptres have provided the opportunity to spotlight the other women's teams paving their way into Torontonians hearts. For example, Teresa Resch, the inaugural president of the Toronto Tempo, the city's WNBA team set to tip-off in 2026 was present at the Battle of Bay Street game, dropping the puck before the game started. The Sceptres and Tempo will be sharing Coca-Cola Coliseum as a home arena once the Tempo begin their season.

Having the representation of the Tempo allows fans to become acquainted with the team, as the branding surrounding the team is still being made public, or is relatively new. For instance, Resch came out wearing a Tempo branded sports jacket that included the team’s burgundy and baby blue colours and logo, which could be one of the first times fans laid eyes on the team’s merchandise.

The presence of female excellence in athletics did not stop there. There was vast representation for the Northern Super League (NSL) in attendance, as CEO Diane Matheson and members of the AFC Toronto team were present. In fact, players on the team were the ones who read the Sceptres starting lineup before puck drop.

Canadian Olympic gymnasts Ellie Black, Katie Vincent and Alanna Bray-Lougheed were also in the house for the game, alongside U-18 World Champions Maddie McCullough and Dorothy Copetti, who were donning their freshly-acquired gold medals and cheering for all 19,102 fans to get loud during TV timeouts.

While this game was an opportunity for the Sceptres to cement their role in Toronto sports, giving other female teams the chance to represent their brand and further proves that we are all in this rise together.

This is a trend that Sceptres forward Sarah Nurse also echoed after the Battle on Bay Street game.

“I think in the last few years in women’s sports, but especially in Toronto, has been really huge,” said Nurse. “There’s a lot of buzz, a lot of boom.”

She acknowledged the moment where Resch was brought out as one of the highlights of the afternoon.

“When she was announced, that was the only thing I heard, they got a huge applause,” said Nurse.

These were not just initiatives that were kept in-arena, as all the teams and individuals mentioned shared pictures and videos across their social media accounts, both personal and professional.

The commodore between all the parties there showed that there is unity in numbers, and that the rise of female representation in the sports world is not just a fad.

So even when the other Toronto teams eventually find their stride again, they will be met with newfound competition that is only gaining more attraction as each team plays, and that is the way it always should have been.