Portland's WNBA return revives the Fire name after a failed bid and massive investment

Cultures · Published 10 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: After a failed expansion attempt in 2023, Portland has officially returned to the WNBA. The new franchise, owned by the Bhathal siblings, has revived the Portland Fire name—a nod to the city's original team from the early 2000s—and is already investing heavily in dedicated infrastructure for women's sports.

The path to Portland's WNBA return was far from linear. In October 2023, a deal involving tech billionaire Kirk Brown collapsed just days before a scheduled announcement. Brown, who had proposed naming the team Rose City Royalty, withdrew his bid after failing to meet the league's $50 million expansion fee requirement and refusing to divest from Shoot 360, which the WNBA viewed as a conflict of interest. Following this, the league officially awarded a franchise to Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal of RAJ Sports in September 2024 for a $125 million fee.

The new organization has moved aggressively to establish its identity and infrastructure. In July 2025, the team confirmed it would reclaim the Portland Fire moniker, honoring the original team that played from 2000 to 2002. Beyond branding, the franchise is building a $150 million joint practice facility in Hillsboro, with an initial phase costing $75 million. This facility, designed specifically for women athletes, aims to serve both the Fire and the Portland Thorns, another team under the RAJ Sports umbrella.

Leadership and operations are now firmly in place for the 2026 debut. Vanja Černivec, formerly of the Golden State Valkyries, was appointed General Manager in August 2025, while Alex Sarama was named the inaugural head coach in October. The team has also focused on fan engagement, securing over 10,000 season ticket deposits by June 2025 and unveiling a dragon mascot named Rose. With local broadcasting handled by Rose City SportsNet, the franchise is positioning itself as a cornerstone of the Portland sports market.

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