The Snapping Turtle and Arctic Hare made their debut Tuesday as the Tempo hosted the Indiana Fever at Scotiabank Arena
The Toronto Tempo introduced two new members of the team Tuesday night: Dez the Snapping Turtle and Dot the Arctic Hair, the franchise’s official mascots.
Dez and Dot made their debut at Scotiabank Arena and brought two very different kinds of energy – and a shared sense of rhythm – to the court for the first time.
“From the beginning, we wanted our mascots to feel distinctly Tempo – rooted in who we are as a Canadian team,” said Whitney Bell, Chief Marketing Officer, Toronto Tempo. “Dez and Dot have completely different personalities, but they’re better together. One knows when to slow things down, the other knows when to turn the energy all the way up. That balance felt like such a natural expression of Tempo, and we can’t wait for our fans to get to know them.”
Dez (she/they) is a Borealis Blue Snapping Turtle from Muskoka, Ontario. Their name is inspired by decibel, a nod to their love of music and role as the more measured half of the duo. Dez is calm, clever and always thinking a few steps ahead.
A Taurus who spins the 1s and 2s in their spare time, Dez’s secret talent is snapping – they also have a particular fondness for soft shell tacos.
Dot (she/her) is an Arctic Hare named for Toronto’s longtime nickname, T-Dot. Originally from the Arctic Circle, she brings seemingly endless energy, acrobatics and enthusiasm to everything she does – making her the undisputed hype woman of the pair.
A Gemini whose hobbies can best be described as “hops and hype,” Dot loves cotton candy, Drive to Survive, and any opportunity to get the crowd on its feet.
Their story began much farther apart.
Dot grew up chasing the northern lights across the Arctic, flipping and leaping beneath the aurora. Farther south, Dez could be found moving at her own steady rhythm through the lakes of Muskoka.
When the northern lights stretched south one winter, Dot followed them to Ontario, where she met Dez. The two quickly discovered a shared love of rhythm – even if they approached it very differently. Dez brought patience and timing; Dot brought speed and fearless energy.
Eventually, the pulse of Toronto drew them both to the city.
Together, Dez and Dot offer a new spin on one of the oldest pairings in storytelling: the tortoise and the hare. Instead of slow against fast, they are steady and swift – a reminder that knowing when to change pace can be just as important as the pace itself.
