The WNBA expansion era is upon us. The league announced its 15th team will be heading to Portland, Oregon.

The WNBA’s newest expansion team will be owned and operated by RAJ Sports. Lisa Bhathal Merage will serve as governor and Alex Bhathal will serve as alternate governor.

The league currently has 12 teams, but will be getting its 13th this offseason, the Golden State Valkyries. The new Portland team is set to enter the league in 2026 alongside another WNBA expansion team in Toronto, Canada.

Portland and the Women’s Sports Movement

Portland is no stranger to women’s basketball. They were the home to the Portland Fire in the league from 2000 to 2002. But, as WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert described, Portland is an epicenter for the women’s sports as a whole.

They’re home to the Thorns FC of the National Women’s Soccer League, who notoriously has a diehard fanbase, and has led the NWSL in attendance for eight straight seasons.

“As the WNBA builds on a season of unprecedented growth, bringing a team back to Portland is another important step forward,” Engelbert said.

The announcement also received praise from the governor of Oregon Tina Kotek and the Portland Mayor Tim Wheeler.

The team has yet to be named yet, but many fan suggestions are calling for a return to the Portland Fire moniker. Other names have been suggested, such as the Rain and Roses, a nod to the city’s nickname.

The team is set to share the Moda Center with the Trail Blazers for home games, and season tickets are already on sale.

How excited are you for the return of the WNBA to the Rose City? What do you think the team name should be?

***

Want to join our team? Inquire about our openings.

Subscribe to the Fantom Sports YouTube!

Follow Fantom Sports on all of our social media!