Oregon’s new WNBA team has revived a piece of the past by bringing back the Portland Fire name. The expansion franchise, set to begin play next season alongside the Toronto Tempo, officially announced its name and branding on Tuesday, resurrecting the identity of Portland’s former WNBA team that competed from 2000 to 2002.
Interim Fire president Clare Hamill expressed enthusiasm, saying, “Our feeling is that the fire never died. Fans have been waiting for us to come back, and we’re back with the Portland Fire.”
Along with the name, the team unveiled a new “Rose on Fire” logo and a color scheme featuring red, brown, blue, and pink.
The original Portland Fire was chaired by Paul Allen, owner of the Portland Trail Blazers and co-founder of Microsoft, until his passing in 2018. The team played at the Rose Garden, now known as the Moda Center. After the NBA sold WNBA teams to independent owners or affiliated NBA teams in 2002, Allen chose not to buy the Fire, leading to the team’s folding.
Portland was granted a new WNBA franchise last September. The team is operated by Raj Sports, owned by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal, who also own the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League. The Bhathals paid $125 million for the new WNBA franchise.
In a first for the two women’s leagues, the Fire and the Thorns will share a joint training facility.
The Fire have already sold over 11,000 season tickets, setting a new WNBA record and surpassing the attendance numbers of the original team, which averaged around 8,000 fans per game at the Moda Center.
However, the team’s launch has faced some hurdles. Early signs of the team’s return to the Fire name surfaced when a local publication, the Rose Garden Report, revealed the trademark application. Additionally, the team’s first president, Inky Son, parted ways with the organization less than three months after being hired in early April. Son was responsible for business operations including marketing, ticket sales, sponsorships, and community relations.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Tempo announced their team name back in December and have already appointed a general manager.
Clare Hamill, a former Nike executive, stepped in as interim president following Son’s departure and said the team’s unveiling of its name and logo is just one part of a larger rollout. “We’re pointing everybody to the launch and the pace at which we’re moving, and just giving everyone confidence that we have our arms around it,” Hamill said. “We’re moving fast, and you’re going to hear from us a lot.”
The team planned a community event on Tuesday afternoon at the Moda Center to celebrate the launch of the name and logo.
Oregon’s new WNBA team has revived a piece of the past by bringing back the Portland Fire name. The expansion franchise, set to begin play next season alongside the Toronto Tempo, officially announced its name and branding on Tuesday, resurrecting the identity of Portland’s former WNBA team that competed from 2000 to 2002.
Interim Fire president Clare Hamill expressed enthusiasm, saying, “Our feeling is that the fire never died. Fans have been waiting for us to come back, and we’re back with the Portland Fire.”
Along with the name, the team unveiled a new “Rose on Fire” logo and a color scheme featuring red, brown, blue, and pink.
The original Portland Fire was chaired by Paul Allen, owner of the Portland Trail Blazers and co-founder of Microsoft, until his passing in 2018. The team played at the Rose Garden, now known as the Moda Center. After the NBA sold WNBA teams to independent owners or affiliated NBA teams in 2002, Allen chose not to buy the Fire, leading to the team’s folding.
Portland was granted a new WNBA franchise last September. The team is operated by Raj Sports, owned by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal, who also own the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League. The Bhathals paid $125 million for the new WNBA franchise.
In a first for the two women’s leagues, the Fire and the Thorns will share a joint training facility.
The Fire have already sold over 11,000 season tickets, setting a new WNBA record and surpassing the attendance numbers of the original team, which averaged around 8,000 fans per game at the Moda Center.
However, the team’s launch has faced some hurdles. Early signs of the team’s return to the Fire name surfaced when a local publication, the Rose Garden Report, revealed the trademark application. Additionally, the team’s first president, Inky Son, parted ways with the organization less than three months after being hired in early April. Son was responsible for business operations including marketing, ticket sales, sponsorships, and community relations.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Tempo announced their team name back in December and have already appointed a general manager.
Clare Hamill, a former Nike executive, stepped in as interim president following Son’s departure and said the team’s unveiling of its name and logo is just one part of a larger rollout. “We’re pointing everybody to the launch and the pace at which we’re moving, and just giving everyone confidence that we have our arms around it,” Hamill said. “We’re moving fast, and you’re going to hear from us a lot.”
The team planned a community event on Tuesday afternoon at the Moda Center to celebrate the launch of the name and logo.
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