Portland Fire

The city's first WNBA team, the Portland Fire, played from 2000 until they folded in 2002.^[2] In February 2023, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert visited Portland for an event at The Sports Bra^[3] co-hosted by US senator Ron Wyden, along with personnel from the Portland Trail Blazers, Portland Thorns FC, and Oregon and Oregon State's women's basketball teams.^[3][4] In October 2023, the WNBA was set to award a team to Portland with tech billionaire Kirk Brown as the planned owner of the team. Plans fell through days before a planned October 26 announcement when Brown pulled out which left the potential team without the required $50 million expansion fee. Brown and the league had a difference of opinion on the team's name branding, with Brown wanting the team to be called the Rose City Royalty, but Engelbert was "uncomfortable" with that idea. The league also found Brown's ownership stake in Shoot 360, a basketball training center with locations across the country, as a potential conflict of interest. The WNBA wanted him to give up his investment, but he refused and withdrew his bid with all of the conditions required.^[4][5]

On September 18, 2024, Portland was officially awarded a franchise, which will be the WNBA's 15th team.^[6] The team will be owned by Lisa Bhathal Merage and her brother Alex Bhathal via RAJ Sports, who also own the Thorns. They paid the WNBA $125 million for the franchise.^[7] Lisa Bhathal Merage will serve as controlling owner and WNBA Governor; Alex Bhathal will serve as Alternate Governor. The team will begin play in 2026.^[8] The Bhathals began conversations with the WNBA in late 2023 after the previous attempt to bring a team to Portland fell apart.^[7] On the decision to award Portland a team, Engelbert said "I think Portland has proven they'll show up for women's sports and definitely for women's basketball, so we're excited to be coming back to the market". Alex added that he and his sister became convinced that Portland was a great market for women's sports during their process of purchasing the Thorns.^[9]

In February 2025, RAJ Sports announced the first of its kind joint practice facility between the Fire and the Thorns in Hillsboro. The initial phase will cost US$75 million with the overall cost being US$150 million for the multi-phase project. A 63,000-square-foot training facility designed specifically for women athletes will be constructed and sections for each teams' sports are expected to be completed in time for both teams' 2026 seasons.^[10] A groundbreaking ceremony was held in April.^[11] Also in April, Inky Son was hired as the team president, but she was fired in June.^[12][13] On June 27, former Nike executive Clare Hamill was named interim president.^[14] Earlier that month, the WNBA filed trademarks for the "Portland Fire" leading to speculation that the team would revive the name.^[2] On June 26, the team surpassed 10,000 season ticket deposits.^[15]

On July 15, 2025, the team announced that it would be named the Portland Fire, reviving the name of the original WNBA team.^[16]

Vanja Černivec was announced as the General Manager on August 25.^[17] Černivec served as the Golden State Valkyries' Vice President of Basketball Operations since July 2024. She played a pivotal role in building the franchise from the ground up – overseeing day-to-day basketball operations in its inaugural season, assisting with the hiring of coaching and operational staff, and leading the scouting department through the 2024 expansion draft and 2025 WNBA draft.

On October 14, Ashley Battle was named as Vice President of Basketball Operations, Strategy and Innovation.^[18]

On October 17 the team hired Alex Sarama, an assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers, as its inaugural head coach.^[19] On November 24, the team hired Brittni Donaldson as assistant coach and assistant general manager.^[20] On December 22, Sylvia Fowles was hired as assistant coach.^[21]