The WNBA returns to Portland, billed as a ‘global epicenter’ for women’s sports

Ron Wyden’s voice boomed through Moda Center. The slender, 75-year-old U.S. senator could have been mistaken for an in-game host wearing a backwards hat and firing a T-shirt cannon.

“I’m not a gambler, but I know it’s a sure bet that Portland is going to be a slam-dunk success in the WNBA,” Wyden said. “I flew home from D.C. yesterday, but I’m not sure I needed a plane because I probably could have made it on my own power.”

Wyden was emblematic of the energy in the building: The WNBA is coming back to Portland. The league announced on Wednesday it is awarding its 15th franchise to the Rose City to start play in 2026, gathering influential figures from local sports teams; city, state and national politics; and sports business into a dimly lit Moda Center for a celebratory press conference.

Several key stakeholders took the dais, including Wyden, Portland mayor Ted Wheeler, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, and team owners Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal. Seated front row were former WNBA players, Portland city councilors, and sports executives alike. It was as close to the center of the Portland sports universe as one could get.

Engelbert has been busy expanding the league and trying to ride a wave of momentum, with a team coming to the Bay Area in 2025 and Toronto in 2026 alongside Portland. A 16th franchise is planned but a destination yet to be named.

With the WNBA experiencing unprecedented growth driven by stars from A’ja Wilson to Caitlin Clark, the commissioner said a team in Portland was a natural fit for the league. The city was previously home to a WNBA team, the Portland Fire, from 2000-02. But it is a different sports landscape in the Rose City, and a different WNBA, more than two decades later.

“Not only does the city support women’s sports, but basketball is also in Portland’s blood,” Engelbert said. “This is the latest milestone in Portland’s rich history of basketball moments. And it’s the perfect backdrop for WNBA players to make an impact. These women are not just elite athletes: they are role models, community leaders, and symbols of empowerment.”

The Bhathal family, who also purchased the Portland Thorns earlier this year, spoke of their vision of Portland as a “global epicenter” for women’s sports. They admit they are still new in town, but pointed to the city’s history of supporting the Thorns in droves — filling Providence Park with regularity — as clear evidence for the WNBA team’s future success.

They also see it as simply a good investment, noting a study that shows for every dollar invested in women’s professional sports, it is expected to return seven.

“The business potential in women’s sports is undeniable,” Bhathal Merage said. “We are witnessing unprecedented growth in investment and fan interest. We believe that Portland, with its forward-thinking and innovative spirit, is the perfect city to lead this charge. We see this team as not only an investment in basketball, but an investment in this city’s future. We will create jobs, contribute to the local economy, and give back.”

Wyden has been texting with former Oregon Ducks star Sabrina Ionescu, who he said is “fired up” about the expansion to Portland. The current New York Liberty guard advocated for it, publicly and privately, calling Oregon “home.”

Portland will build the bulk of its team through free agency and an eventual expansion draft, but for now the focus is more straightforward and has little to do with basketball: building out a front office, hiring employees, and deciding on a team name. The Bhathals say they will involve the community in the latter decision.

Tipoff is nearly two years away, but the vision for WNBA basketball in Portland is coming into focus. And Wednesday marked its arrival on the scene.

Wyden — perhaps the team’s first and most enthusiastic fan, who used his political weight to help push the effort along — was able to boisterously articulate what the WNBA and Bhathals are hoping for.

“Can you picture it, in 2026, on a pretty Saturday? Oregonians grab a burger and Coke at The Sports Bra, then head down Broadway for a sold-out WNBA game?” Wyden said. “Then they take a little time at home on Saturday night. The next day? Sunny, of course, and they’re enjoying a reuben and beverage of their choice in Goose Hollow before walking over to Providence Park for a sold-out Thorns match on a Sunday. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

–Ryan Clarke covers the Oregon Ducks and Big Ten Conference. Listen to the Ducks Confidential podcast or subscribe to the Ducks Roundup newsletter.