Ron Wyden’s voice filled the Moda Center. The thin, 75-year-old US senator could have been mistaken for a game host wearing a backwards hat and shooting a T-shirt cannon.
“I’m not a betting person, but I know it’s a fair bet that Portland is going to be a big success in the WNBA,” Wyden said. “I flew from DC yesterday, but I’m not sure I needed the flight because I probably would have made it myself.”
Wyden was a symbol of power in the building: The WNBA is returning to Portland. The league announced Wednesday that it is granting its 15th franchise to the Rose City to begin play in 2026, gathering influencers from local sports teams; city, state and country politics; and sports business into the dimly lit Moda Center for a celebratory press conference.
Several key stakeholders took the stage, including Wyden, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, and team owners Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal. In the front row sat WNBA players, Portland city councilmen, and sports executives alike. It was as close to the center of the Portland sports universe as one could get.
Engelbert is busy growing the league and trying to ride the wave of speed, with a team coming to the Bay Area in 2025 and Toronto in 2026 next to Portland. A 16th franchise is planned but the location is yet to be announced.
With the WNBA experiencing unprecedented growth led by stars from A’ja Wilson to Caitlin Clark, the commissioner said Portland’s team is a good fit for the league. The city was previously home to the WNBA team, the Portland Fire, from 2000-02. But it’s a different playing field 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 in Portland’s blood,” Engelbert said. “This is the latest in Portland’s rich history of basketball moments. And it’s the perfect background for WNBA players to make an impact. These women are not just great athletes: they are role models, community leaders and signs of empowerment.”
The Bhathal family, which also bought the Portland Thorns earlier this year, spoke of their vision for Portland as a “world center” for women’s sports. They admit they’re still young in town, but point to the city’s history of supporting the Thorns in droves — routinely filling Providence Park — as clear evidence of the WNBA team’s future success.
They also see it as just a good investment, noting a study that shows for every dollar invested in women’s sports, seven are expected to return.
“The business potential of women’s sports is undeniable,” said Bhathal Merage. “We are seeing 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 more than just an investment in basketball, but also an investment in the future of this city. We will create jobs, contribute to the local economy, and give back.
Wyden has been texting former Oregon Ducks star Sabrina Ionescu, who he said is “on fire” about the Portland expansion. The current Guardian of the Liberty of New York advocated it, in public and in private, calling Oregon “home.”
Portland will build the bulk of its roster through free agency and the late expansion draft, but for now the focus is more and less basketball-related: building the front office, hiring, and decide on a group name. The Bhathals say they will involve the community in the final decision.
Tipoff is almost two years away, but the WNBA basketball scene in Portland will be in focus. And Wednesday marked its arrival in the area.
Wyden — perhaps the team’s first and most ardent fan, who used his political weight to help push the initiative — was able to articulate what the WNBA and the Bhathals expected.
“Can you picture it, in 2026, on a beautiful Saturday? Oregonians grabbing a burger and a Coke at The Sports Bra, then heading down Broadway for a sold-out WNBA game? Wyden said. Now they spend some time at home on Saturday night, of course, and enjoy a reuben and a drink of their choice before heading over to Providence Park for a sold-out game on Sunday be better than that.”
–Ryan Clarke covering Ducks of Oregon and the Big Ten Conference. Listen to the Secret Ducks podcast or subscribe to Duck Roundup newspaper.
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