WNBA officially announces expansion into Portland

In an event streamed live from the Moda Center in Rose City, where the future team will play, Engelbert noted the day was to celebrate women’s sports and the expansion of the league.

“Portland has become an epicenter of women’s sports,” she said, “and the people of Portland have established this city as a premier destination.”

The event was open to media and fans and featured comments from an extensive list of guest speakers. Engelbert’s time at the podium was followed by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal, the siblings who will run the team as representatives of Raj Sports (the company that also owns the Portland Thorns), after agreeing to pay a reported $125 million to cover the expansion fees and the cost of a new practice facility. Other speakers included a trio of Oregon politicians—Senator Ron Wyden, Mayor Ted Wheeler and Governor Tina Kotek—as well as Dewayne Hankins, president of business operations for the Portland Trailblazers, and Kym Hampton, a former WNBA player and Portland resident.

Each speaker played up the excitement around bringing a team to Portland, which required overcoming several challenges set by the league. Last October, a separate bid to bring a WNBA franchise to Portland fell through, when tech billionaire Kirk Brown pulled out of the deal over multiple points of contention that arose during negotiations with Engelbert and the league. For its part, the league voiced concerns over renovations planned for the Moda Center within the first few years of the team’s existence, which could force the players and fans into a suboptimal venue. 

Once that deal fell through, other bidders quickly emerged, and though nothing has changed regarding the construction plans for the team’s home arena, it seems the Bhathals offered some sort of appeasement. However, neither side has offered specific details on how that challenge was overcome.

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The Bhathals did confirm plans to build a state-of-the-art practice facility, and Engelbert acknowledged that facilities and the player experience are part of the evaluation process for expansion bids. But, neither side explicitly identified the practice facility as a concession for the conflict surrounding the arena, nor was any information given regarding a potential team name or the timeline for hiring key staff and executives.

Nevertheless, the WNBA will return to Portland more than two decades following the dissolution of the city’s first franchise, the Portland Fire. The Fire folded after playing three seasons from 2000 to 2002, despite drawing an average of 8,000 fans for home games. Prior to the Fire, Portland was home to the American Basketball League’s Portland Power from 1996 to 1998, but the ABL folded after just two seasons.

Portland’s new professional franchise will enjoy a vastly different set of circumstances than any previous iteration. When asked to comment on the differences this time around, Engelbert spoke to the existing foundation built by the teams of the late ‘90s and early 2000s.

“Our players today are standing on the shoulders of giants,” she said, “and they’re putting on a product like we’ve never seen before.” 

Answering the question from an ownership perspective, Alex Bhathal pointed to the league’s upward trajectory across the board, starting with the compelling play of the athletes on the court, but also noting improvements to the fan experience, increased ticket sales, ever-expanding media deals and corporate partnerships.

As Engelbert and the Bhathals spent the afternoon celebrating what they hope will be a rosier future for WNBA basketball in Portland, every speaker who stepped to the podium praised the city for its avid sports culture, and more specifically, its support of women’s sports.

“Before we arrived at the scene, you were the ones who put it out in the universe that Portland was the ideal place for a WNBA team,” said Lisa Bhathal Merage.

She also credited the city of Portland with teaching her what women’s sports can achieve.

“My family’s love affair with women’s sports began right here in Portland at the Thorns game,” she said. “That experience changed us. We saw firsthand the power of outstanding women athletes, the passion of the fans and the potential to impact dreams for generations to come.”

Alex Bhathal then built on his sister’s words.

“I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Portland community,” he said. “Your deep and unwavering spirit and support for women’s sports is what made this achievement possible.”

Wyden told a story of how the Portland community made a lasting impression on the league’s commissioner, while in the process of pitching the city for a potential expansion team. He and Engelbert visited The Sports Bra, a local bar devoted entirely to showcasing women’s sports. The place was full of young girls and women watching soccer and basketball.

“I looked over at the Commissioner and she said, ‘I’ve never seen anything like it,’” Wyden said. “We showed that day (that) we are unmatched in America for enthusiasm for women’s sports.”

Added Wheeler: “Portland is undeniably the greatest of all WNBA cities.”

Kotek was not physically present for the event, but she sent a video message in which she, too, heralded Portland as a titan of women’s sports.

“Portland’s already a leader in women’s sports, from the Thorns to the Rose City Rollers to the nationally known venue, The Sports Bra,” Kotek said. “Portland has a thriving community of diehard fans.”

As they expressed confidence in Portland’s support for a new WNBA franchise, the speakers also highlighted the many ways a WNBA franchise positively impacts a community. Kotek acknowledged the impact of adding representation to the region for youth athletes.

“This is a big deal for all the young girls who are playing basketball and other sports right now.” she said. “We see you, and we believe in you.” 

Kotek’s comments underscored a larger theme throughout the event: Portland’s desire to be part of the WNBA’s movement to inspire progress and enact positive change throughout society. Hampton described her experience as a member of the WNBA, and while she fondly recalls some of her favorite moments on the court, such as scoring the first ever points for the New York Liberty, that’s not the aspect of her WNBA career she’s most proud of.

“The WNBA has always been more than just a league.” Hampton said. “The WNBA seeks to inspire future generations and continues to push for the respect and opportunities that we all deserve now.”

Portland’s new ownership group understands that mission statement.

“We want to create a space where excellence, community, inclusivity, diversity and equity come together,” said Alex Bhathal during his remarks. “We’re not just building a team; we’re creating a movement with Portland as our home.”

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