Portland to WNBA (?)

[Vowelguy]

Sources: Bhathal Family Lands Portland WNBA Expansion Team

The family, which owns the NWSL's Portland Thorns, will announce on Sept. 10 that women's professional basketball is returning to Portland in 2026.

www.rosegardenreport.com

15th team, starting in 2026

 

[Dillon77]

Saw a second story on this in The Next. Official announcement will come on September 10th. So, both Toronto and Portland will arrive in 2026, leaving one more city to join, given Commissioner Cathy Englebert's pronouncement to have 16 teams. With two of the three new teams being on the "left coast," and one in Canada, will focus shift the U.S. South (Miami, Nashville), Rocky Mountain area (Denver) or the East Coast (Philadelphia)?

Stay tuned.

 

[JellyBean]

Love it! This is awesome and much needed expansion news. Positive in terms of the growth of the W and fan interest. @Dillon77 it is going to be interesting to see where the focus for that 16th team lands.

West Region:
Las Vegas
Seattle
Los Angeles
*Portland
*Golden State

East Region:
New York
Connecticut
Washington
*Toronto

Central/Midwest Region:
Minnesota
Chicago
Indiana

South:
Atlanta

Southwest:
Arizona

Then We Have
Dallas-They could be South or Southwest just depends on who you talk to.

 

[Vowelguy]

Saw a second story on this in The Next. Official announcement will come on September 10th. So, both Toronto and Portland will arrive in 2026, leaving one more city to join, given Commissioner Cathy Englebert's pronouncement to have 16 teams. With two of the three new teams being on the "left coast," and one in Canada, will focus shift the U.S. South (Miami, Nashville), Rocky Mountain area (Denver) or the East Coast (Philadelphia)?

Stay tuned.

Miami is a terrible option. South Florida can’t even support its baseball team.

And the South in general hasn’t been kind to the W. Miami, Orlando, and Charlotte all failed. Atlanta has the worst attendance in the league.

A major market like Philly can be dangerous because the W can get swallowed up by everything else. But this might be the moment ….

I’d like to see Columbus OH try to mount a bid.

 

[Dillon77]

Miami is a terrible option. South Florida can’t even support its baseball team.

And the South in general hasn’t been kind to the W. Miami, Orlando, and Charlotte all failed. Atlanta has the worst attendance in the league.

A major market like Philly can be dangerous because the W can get swallowed up by everything else. But this might be the moment ….

I’d like to see Columbus OH try to mount a bid.

My post, as you probably know, is based on reports about cities that seem to be under consideration as we type. That tells me they have the resources/plan to get going sooner, rather than later, and the commissioner really wants to get that 16th team.

As for my own preferences, the Columbus, Ohio, idea is interesting: expanding regional area that has supported hockey and soccer teams. Along the same lines, what about a Kansas City?

Your reminders about the southern teams ring true and I'd think the W wants to make sure this works. If any southern city is chosen, I'd think Nashville might be chosen (and I'm not even sure about that.)

My gut (as of now): Denver or Philly.

 

[CajunHusk94]

Miami is a terrible option. South Florida can’t even support its baseball team.

And the South in general hasn’t been kind to the W. Miami, Orlando, and Charlotte all failed. Atlanta has the worst attendance in the league.

A major market like Philly can be dangerous because the W can get swallowed up by everything else. But this might be the moment ….

I’d like to see Columbus OH try to mount a bid.

Anyone remember how Houston's was when they had the Comets?

 

[nickp91]

I’m super happy that that Portland appears to be getting a WNBA again

 

[mred]

The WNBA twitter account is hinting that an expansion announcement is imminent.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Miami is a terrible option. South Florida can’t even support its baseball team.

And the South in general hasn’t been kind to the W. Miami, Orlando, and Charlotte all failed. Atlanta has the worst attendance in the league.

A major market like Philly can be dangerous because the W can get swallowed up by everything else. But this might be the moment ….

I’d like to see Columbus OH try to mount a bid.

I don't necessarily disagree about Atlanta being a problematic market, but the Dream has bad attendance because they have a VERY small arena. Have you seen it on TV?

 

[GCKSFN4L]

Miami is a terrible option. South Florida can’t even support its baseball team.

And the South in general hasn’t been kind to the W. Miami, Orlando, and Charlotte all failed. Atlanta has the worst attendance in the league.

A major market like Philly can be dangerous because the W can get swallowed up by everything else. But this might be the moment ….

I’d like to see Columbus OH try to mount a bid.

I mean the same could be said of Portland. Portland only lasted only 3 years before it failed. I'm still skeptical as to how well it will do this time around.
I think Charlotte is the most likely to do well. It did last for 10 years in it's first go around and there's plenty of established women's basketball fans in the area. Between the SC fans and Research triangles fans Charlotte should have no trouble keeping attendance this go around.

As for Atlanta, ever since the arrival of Rhyne and culture change with new ownership Atlanta seems to have embraced the Dream more. Everyone I hear speak glowingly about their experience at the games. But I think it's time for them to move into a bigger arena that's preferably not a 30 minute drive from downtown Atlanta.

 

[Vowelguy]

I don't necessarily disagree about Atlanta being a problematic market, but the Dream has bad attendance because they have a VERY small arena. Have you seen it on TV?

I did not realize it was as small as it is (3500). But my argument was about the southeast in general — it does not have a great track record in supporting non -FB sports.
I do think Charlotte 2.0 would have a shot, especially if they could get a few SC players.

Portland has at least shown good support for Ore WCBB and the NCAAs, and it doesn’t have summer competition from MLB.

 

[cancontent]

It's official.

 

[Dillon77]

It's official.

Glad to see this now official for Portland.
I'm pondering two points in relation to WNBA expansion:
1) What city will be that 16th franchise by no later than 2028? (We've started to cover this...)
2) Who will become the coaches of Golden State, Toronto and Portland? Will it be a WNBA insider, a coach from the NBA (following Las Vegas and, more recently, Phoenix) or will someone make a dip into the collegiate ranks for coaches looking for a shorter season, no recruiting wars ,including visits to high-school shootarounds and living rooms during contact periods?
Stay tuned.

 

[baggerbob]

My post, as you probably know, is based on reports about cities that seem to be under consideration as we type. That tells me they have the resources/plan to get going sooner, rather than later, and the commissioner really wants to get that 16th team.

As for my own preferences, the Columbus, Ohio, idea is interesting: expanding regional area that has supported hockey and soccer teams. Along the same lines, what about a Kansas City?

Your reminders about the southern teams ring true and I'd think the W wants to make sure this works. If any southern city is chosen, I'd think Nashville might be chosen (and I'm not even sure about that.)

My gut (as of now): Denver or Philly.

Need another eastern city to balance the league out.

 

[Dillon77]

Need another eastern city to balance the league out.

My gut for finalists: Philly, Charlotte, Nashville.
Maybe Columbus, Ohio.

 

[hoopsdiva]

My gut for finalists: Philly, Charlotte, Nashville.
Maybe Columbus, Ohio.

I'd love to see a team in Philly but maybe it's too close to DC and NYC. OTOH, teams could schedule successive games against Philly, the Mystics, the Liberty and the Sun and never have to get on a plane. All easily reached by train or bus.

 

[triaddukefan]

I don't necessarily disagree about Atlanta being a problematic market, but the Dream has bad attendance because they have a VERY small arena. Have you seen it on TV?

That arena is much too small, and very poorly located way way south by the airport. Good luck driving from the north side of the city down 75/85 or along 285 on a weekday night. Plus there isn't a Marta station that is easily accessible either. Size and location wise the best spot was when they played at GaTechs arena. Not sure if Tech ended that relationship or the team.

 

[triaddukefan]

My gut for finalists: Philly, Charlotte, Nashville.
Maybe Columbus, Ohio.

 

[Vowelguy]

That arena is much too small, and very poorly located way way south by the airport. Good luck driving from the north side of the city down 75/85 or along 285 on a weekday night. Plus there isn't a Marta station that is easily accessible either. Size and location wise the best spot was when they played at GaTechs arena. Not sure if Tech ended that relationship or the team.

South? Oh I thought they played out in Gwinnett!

Ahh I see that they play in the G league arena.

 

[Dillon77]

I'd love to see a team in Philly but maybe it's too close to DC and NYC. OTOH, teams could schedule successive games against Philly, the Mystics, the Liberty and the Sun and never have to get on a plane. All easily reached by train or bus.

An Amtrak Series? Or an I-95 Trip!

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Need another eastern city to balance the league out.

baggerbob- - -I agree with you an Eastern city is a must to balance out the league and Philly would be a logical choice,
even with teams in NY, Washington DC, and CT!

 

[MilfordHusky]

I’d like to see Philly. It is a hoops city. Arenas:

Wells Fargo (Sixers) 20,000

Liacouras Center (Temple, NCAA Regionals) 10,000

Palestra (Penn, historic) 8,700

 

[cancontent]

I’d like to see Philly. It is a hoops city. Arenas:

Wells Fargo (Sixers) 20,000

Liacouras Center (Temple, NCAA Regionals) 10,000

Palestra (Penn, historic) 8,700

Question about Wells Fargo. Saw a tweet from Jason Kelce that was talking about the owners looking to the city to help fund a new stadium and/or facility. Is this correct?

 

[triaddukefan]

Question about Wells Fargo. Saw a tweet from Jason Kelce that was talking about the owners looking to the city to help fund a new stadium and/or facility. Is this correct?

The 76ers want to build a new arena in the Center City. Not sure if the flyers would stay at Wells Fargo or not.

 

[Vowelguy]

Fertitta from Houston is now interested in bringing the W back. Given that he already owns the Rockets, gotta figure he’d have an advantage in winning an expansion.