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WNBA Women's National Basketball Association

Portland, Oregon Awarded WNBA's 15th Franchise

September 18, 2024 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) News Release


NEW YORK and PORTLAND, Ore. - The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) announced today that it has awarded Portland, Oregon, the league's 15th franchise. The Portland team, set to begin play in the 2026 season, will be owned and operated by RAJ Sports, led by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal. Portland is the third expansion franchise awarded by the WNBA during this round of expansion, following the Golden State Valkyries and a Toronto franchise, bringing the league from 12 to 15 teams.

As the WNBA builds on a season of unprecedented growth, bringing a team back to Portland is another important step forward, said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. Portland has been an epicenter of the women's sports movement and is home to a passionate community of basketball fans. Pairing this energy with the Bhathal family's vision of leading top-flight professional sports teams will ensure that we deliver a premier WNBA team to the greater Portland area.

Lisa Bhathal Merage will serve as controlling owner and WNBA Governor, while Alex Bhathal will serve as Alternate Governor. The Bhathal family (Lisa, Alex and their parents, Marta and Raj) brings more than 50 years of experience in the professional sports industry, including serving as investors of the NBA's Sacramento Kings and controlling owners of the National Women's Soccer League's Portland Thorns. Ms. Merage's husband, Richard Merage, will also join the buyer group as an investor and Executive Board member of Portland WNBA. Mr. Merage is the Chief Executive Officer of MIG Capital, LLC, an investment management firm he co-founded in 2006 following the sale of his family's business, Chef America, to Nestle.

For decades, Portland has been the global epicenter of sports lifestyle and today, we are now the global epicenter of women's sports, said Lisa Bhathal Merage. We believe in the transformative power of women's sports and are thrilled that the W will call Portland home. We know that Portland's vibrant and diverse communities will highly support and rally around this team. Our goal is to grow this organization in partnership with the Portland community and we look forward to supporting the best women's basketball players in the world when they take the floor at the Moda Center in 2026.

The team will play its home games at the Moda Center in downtown Portland. Fans who wish to buy season tickets for the WNBA Portland team can do so by placing a deposit at WNBA.com/portland. The new team marks the WNBA's return to Portland after more than 20 years. The Portland Fire played three seasons in the WNBA from 2000-02.

The latest expansion announcement comes amid the WNBA's historic 28th season. In addition to announcing three new teams, the league in recent months has added its most anticipated rookie class ever; signed a groundbreaking new media rights deal; and shattered records for viewership, attendance, merchandise sales, social media engagement, digital subscriptions (WNBA League Pass) and app downloads.

Additional Quotes:

Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden

Today puts basketball fans in Portland and all across Oregon in the 'W column, Wyden said. Our city and entire state have consistently set the gold standard for supporting women's sports, and I'm thrilled the Bhathal family is expanding its commitment to women's sports locally by bringing Portland a much-deserved WNBA franchise. I know from hosting Commissioner Engelbert for a roundtable at the Sports Bra in February 2023 with women athletes, women's sports executives and coaches that enthusiasm for women's basketball is off the charts. And I can't wait for this new team to tip off in 2026.

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek

"Portland has a passion for women's sports and the teams who play in the Rose City, making us the ideal home of the next WNBA team," Governor Kotek said. "From the Thorns to the Rose City Rollers to the Sports Bra, Portland embraces a diversity of athletes and fans. This is an exciting new chapter for our city and our state."

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler

We are thrilled to welcome the WNBA to Portland, a city renowned for its vibrant sports culture and deep commitment to fostering women's athletics, said Mayor Ted Wheeler. This expansion marks a significant milestone in our city's sports history and underscores our role as a burgeoning hub for women's sports. It's more than basketball; it's about energizing our community, enhancing our local economy, and celebrating pride in our city.

RAJ SPORTS

RAJ Sports, led by Alex Bhathal and Lisa Bhathal Merage, focuses on investment opportunities in sports and sports-related properties, drawing on the Bhathal family's multi-generational experience and relationships in the industry. The firm seeks to leverage the power of sports to affect broader social and economic change through a variety of business and philanthropic strategies. Its deep experience in professional sports operations and large-scale real estate developments that create thriving community centers, positions the firm to deliver valuable assets that will support further growth for the players, staff, and fans. In 2013, the Bhathal family became investors in the Sacramento Kings (NBA); subsequently building the platform to include the Sacramento RiverCats (MiLB), Stockton Kings (NBA G-League) and several sports anchored real estate developments. The 2024 acquisitions of Portland Thorns (NWSL) and the WNBA Portland expansion team represents a milestone for the city of Portland and places it at the epicenter of growth for women's sports.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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