On Wednesday, the WNBA 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.
This will bring the league from 12 to 15 teams.
The team will play its home games at the Moda Center in downtown 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.
“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 in a statement. “Portland has been an epicenter of the women’s sports movement and is home to a passionate community of basketball fans.
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 in 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 the Portland WNBA.
In recent months, things have been looking up for the WNBA:
The league will have three new teams. They had a great rookie class, including Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. They also have a new media rights deal, record viewership, attendance, and so much more.
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