Women’s National Basketball Association Expansion: WNBA Team Revives Portland Fire Name
Oregon’s WNBA team is stepping back into the limelight with a nostalgic twist, reintroducing the Portland Fire. This new franchise, which will take to the court next season alongside the Toronto Tempo, announced its name and branding on Tuesday — breathing new life into the identity of the city’s former WNBA team that played from 2000 to 2002.
“Our feeling is that the fire never died,” said Clare Hamill, the interim president of the Fire. “Fans have been waiting for us to come back, and we’re back with the Portland Fire phjoy com casino.”
In addition to the classic name, the team unveiled an exciting new “Rose on Fire” logo and a vibrant color palette featuring red, brown, blue, and pink. The original Fire team was chaired by Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft who passed away in 2018. Allen was a pivotal figure in the team’s history, and both the Fire and the Trail Blazers played at the Rose Garden, now known as the Moda Center.
The NBA held ownership over WNBA teams until 2002, after which they sold them to affiliated NBA teams or independent owners. Unfortunately, Allen declined to purchase the Fire, leading to its dissolution.
Last September, Portland was awarded a new WNBA team, which is under the management of Raj Sports, led by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal, who also own the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League. jili888 withdrawal They invested $125 million for the franchise.
The Fire and the Thorns are set to share a new joint training facility, marking the first partnership between the two women’s leagues. So far, the Fire has sold over 11,000 season tickets, breaking the previous record for the WNBA. The team is expected to play at the Moda Center, where the original Fire averaged around 8,000 fans per game.
However, the path to launching the team has not been without its challenges. Reports of the team’s return to the Fire name surfaced previously when a local publication, the Rose Garden Report, revealed the team’s trademark application.
In a surprising turn, the team’s president, Inky Son, parted ways with the franchise last month after less than three months on the job. Son was appointed as the first employee of the team in early April, responsible for overseeing all business operations, including marketing, ticket sales, and community relations.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Tempo announced their team name back in December and have already secured a general manager. Hamill, a former Nike executive, has taken over for Son until a permanent president is appointed. She emphasized that the launch of the team name and logo is just one aspect of a broader array of activations that are in motion. jili bingo
“We’re pointing everybody to the launch and the pace at which we’re moving, and just giving everyone confidence that we have our arms around it,” Hamill stated. “We’re moving fast, and you’re going to hear from us a lot. milyon88 login”
The team celebrated the launch of the name and logo with a community party on Tuesday afternoon at the Moda Center. Portland and Toronto are set to begin play in 2026, but the expansion Golden State Valkyries will join the WNBA for the 2025 season. slotph vip The league also has three more announced expansion teams set for the future: Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia, with the introductions of these teams staggered over the years 2028, 2029, and 2030, respectively.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. What are your thoughts on the revival of the Portland Fire?
