Portland's expansion WNBA team brings back the original fire name

The Portland Fire is back.

The WNBA expansion team from Portland, which will begin in 2026, announced on Tuesday that it derived the name of the city's WNBA team from 2000 to 2002.

“As a city that has been committed to women for women for a long time, Portland is ready to regain its place in the WNBA and to re -improve his connection to the game on the world stage,” said Interim President of Portland, Clare Hamill. “We are pleased to complete the journey, bring professional women's basketball back to the Rose City and at the same time honor the legacy of the original franchise to lure a new, bold path forward.”

The team of the team is inspired by the 12 bridges that connect the city from east to west. A logo, a red P, has the silhouette of the Mount Hood – the highest point in Oregon. The other logo is on fire, an allusion to Portland's legendary flower and the name of the team.

The flame graphics are continued by letter shapes, which are inspired by the curved roof line of the moda center, the Heimarena of the team.

The fire will join the league Toronto's expansion next season, but still have no coach or general manager. Team President Inky Sohn left the organization in the workplace last month after less than three months.

Nevertheless, the return of a WNBA team to Portland is excited, with the organization announcing that it has exceeded 10,000 seasonal deposits.

Portland was awarded the 15th team of the league last year under the leadership of Alex Bhathal and Lisa Bhathal Merage by Raj Sports.

“Portland was in the foreground of women's sports for a long time and with almost 11,000 season ticket deposits so far, this community made it clear that they are ready to use the return of the professional basketball of women,” said Merage in a statement. “We are proud to reinvent the Portland fire and can hardly wait to welcome new and long -standing fans in the Moda Center in 2026.”

In addition to the pace, the WNBA 2028, 2029 and 2030 will add three other expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia.