PORTLAND, OR -- Wednesday's announcement of a new WNBA team in Portland was met with a big party at the Moda Center, complete with a shower of streamers and dignitaries from the political and sports world. 

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert opened the celebration with the statement some have waited for, for years, "I am honored to officially announce that we have awarded Portland the 15th WNBA franchise." She added, "It has been more than two decades since this city has been  home to a WNBA team, and bringing the WNBA back to Portland is a natural fit." Engelbert says Portland has a lot to offer the league, "Not only does this city support women's sports, but basketball is also in Portland's blood. This is the latest milestone in Portland's rich history of iconic basketball moments." She went on to tell the crowd, "More than anything, this is a celebration of women's sports and of the continued growth of our league. And the growth has been exponential in recent years. It seems to me, Portland has become an epicenter of women's sports."

The new owners are the Bhathal family, a pair of siblings who purchased the Portland Thorns women's soccer team earlier this year. They said the new basketball's team name will be determined, in part, by community feedback.

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, who invited Engelbert to Portland last year, praised the move as an economic boon for the city and the state. And Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler thanked her, "For having confidence in our city, being strategic about your vision for the WNBA, and recognizing that Portland is an extraordinary sports city." Wheeler also thanked the new owhers - the Bhathal family and everyone else who helped make the team a reality, "We are the global center of women's professional sports. And I want to be clear that that is something we want to lean into."

Attending Wednesday's announcement were city and state officials, business leaders, student athletes and WNBA alumni like Kym Hampton, who now live in Portland. Hampton played for New York in the WNBA's inaugural season. She told the crowd, "In women's sports, we've always had it a little bit more difficult than the guys, right? I mean, it was kind of difficult to propel change, and to sell out seats in the arenas and to up viewership numbers." Now, the league sells out games all over the country. 

The new Portland team tips off in 2026. 

photo: WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert welcomes a crowd of supporters to the Moda Center, Wednesday, September 18, 2024