After 23 years away, the Portland Fire are back in the WNBA. The franchise that briefly existed from 2000 to 2002 returns with a fresh logo that has fans talking. With over 11,000 season ticket deposits already secured and a home at the Moda Center waiting, Portland’s return signals something bigger: a city ready to embrace women’s basketball again.
What Makes Portland Fire’s New Logo So Special?
The logo, resembling almost a rose-like flame with a deep red color, delighted fans of the league, as users expressed their approval. The minimalist design incorporates several regional elements: a rose merging with a flame — a nod to Portland’s “Rose City” nickname — the city’s 12 bridges, and the silhouette of Mount Hood at the top of the “P” logo.
That’s a fantastic logo
— James Marci (@jamesmarciv) July 15, 2025
The Portland Fire will be the 15th team in the WNBA, joining the Toronto Tempo as 2026 expansion teams. Further league expansion plans are also in the works as Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029), and Philadelphia (2030) will also get their own teams.
Like Portland, Detroit, and Cleveland previously had WNBA franchises that have since gone defunct.
It’s awesome to see the league expanding
— Aaron ⚓🏀 ⚾️ 🏈 (@bowling23) July 15, 2025
Many fans expressed their delight over the league expanding, as more teams would mean more roster spots, a consistent problem in the WNBA. Although the changes to the CBA and revenue sharing of the league would better help increase the roster spots, expansion brings temporary relief.
How Will the Portland Fire Expansion Draft Work?
But fans who were affected by last year’s expansion are already dreading this next one.
Great, another draft to disrupt every team in W!
— Dan (@yyzr30) July 15, 2025
While the Golden State Valkyries’ expansion draft last year had only one team picking, the one including the Portland Fire will have another team: the Toronto Tempo. The expansion draft will allow these new teams to select players from the existing rosters, with each of the current teams being able to protect six players from being drafted.
While an exact date for their joint expansion draft hasn’t been officially announced, it is widely expected to occur in December 2025, a year after the Valkyries’ expansion draft.
Many franchises made tough decisions during the expansion in 2024, one of which was the New York Liberty’s decision to leave Kayla Thornton unprotected. So, the disappointment makes complete sense.
However, another fan wondered why Portland is getting a team at all.
Portland gets a team ?? Why ??
— DeFi-G (@DeFi_G_) July 15, 2025
While the fact that a franchise once existed in the city is exciting enough, Portland is an exceptional city, specifically in terms of women’s sports. The Portland Thorns, who play in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), are a well-supported franchise and are considered one of the most popular women’s soccer clubs globally.
The Thorns consistently lead the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in attendance, a trend they’ve maintained for eight seasons. For instance, they had over 25,000 fans at a playoff semifinal in 2023 and set the highest-attended NWSL match of 2025 (at that time) with over 21,000 fans for a Pride Night game.
RELATED: Who Played in Last Year’s WNBA Finals? Revisiting the Controversial 2024 Championship Series
Much of their robust support comes from their dedicated supporters’ group, the Rose City Riveters. These passionate fans are known for their organized displays, continuous chanting, and even traveling to away games.
So, the ground is surely fertile for another women’s franchise, with the Portland Fire set to debut in 2026.
