Portland WNBA franchise reignites Fire name

The Portland Fire are being reborn.

The WNBA expansion franchise, which will enter the league in 2026, announced Tuesday it will reuse the name of the city's original entry into the league. The original Portland Fire were league members from 2000-02 with a 37-59 record.

The team dissolved following the 2002 season having never made the playoffs.

"As a city that has long championed women's sports, Portland is ready to reclaim its place in the WNBA and reignite its connection to the game on the world stage," said Clare Hamill, the franchise's interim president. "We are thrilled to complete the journey of bringing professional women's basketball back to the Rose City, while honoring the legacy of the original franchise to blaze a new, bold path forward."

The team's logo pays tribute to symbols of the city: Mount Hood, the highest point in Oregon; the city's flower, the rose; the roofline of the team's home arena, the Moda Center; and the 12 bridges that connect the city from east to west.

Portland enters the WNBA in 2026 along with Toronto. Teams in Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029) and Philadelphia (2030) will give the WNBA 18 teams when they join the league.

Excitement is building in Portland, where the franchise will be owned by Alex Bhathal and Lisa Bhathal Merage of RAJ Sports. The group also acquired the Portland Thorns of the National Women's Soccer League in 2024.

"With nearly 11,000 season ticket deposits to-date, this community has made it clear they're ready to embrace the return of women's professional basketball," Lisa Bhathal Merage said. "We're proud to reignite the Portland Fire and can't wait to welcome new and longtime fans to the Moda Center in 2026."

--Field Level Media