WNBA announces expansion team in Portland, growing league to 15 franchises
WNBA expansion is making waves with a new team set to hit Portland in 2026. The league’s 15th team will be owned by RAJ Sports, with Lisa Bhathal Merage taking the lead. The Portland franchise will play at the Moda Center, sharing the space with the NBA’s Portland Trailblazers. RAJ Sports, which acquired the NWSL’s Portland Thorns earlier this year, is also a co-owner of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. The addition of the Portland team signals the growth of both the WNBA and women’s sports in general. The league’s popularity has been on the rise, with record attendance and viewership numbers for the 2024 season. The addition of new teams like the Golden State Valkyries in 2025 and teams in Toronto and Portland in 2026 show the WNBA’s commitment to expansion. Strong players like A’ja Wilson and promising rookies like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have helped boost the league’s profile, leading to a significant increase in the value of recent media rights deals. Additionally, the WNBA recently announced that teams will have leaguewide chartered flights for the first time, enhancing player comfort and convenience.
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Emily Jensen, graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in the UK in 2015 with a degree in Economics. She specializes in financial markets and international trade. After graduating, she worked as an analyst at an investment bank in London, where she developed expertise in global economic trends. She later transitioned into consulting, focusing on fintech ventures and providing insights into global economic developments. Emily is passionate about the intersection of finance and technology and aims to drive innovation in the financial sector.