WNBA awards Portland expansion team amid popularity surge

The WNBA continues to expand following a season of unparalleled growth, with the league announcing on Wednesday that a third expansion team has been granted to Portland, Oregon.

The expansion team brings women’s basketball back to Portland after a previous franchise founded in 2000, the Fire, folded after just three seasons. 

A basketball sits near the WNBA logo during a timeout of a game between the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty at Feld Entertainment Center on August 29, 2020 in Palmetto, Florida.  (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

The league’s 15th franchise will be owned and operated by RAJ Sports, led by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal. The Bhathal Family is the co-owners of the Sacramento Kings and the controlling owners of the Portland Thorns of the NWSL.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

“As the WNBA builds on a season of unprecedented growth, bringing a team back to Portland is another important step forward,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a press release.  “Portland has been an epicenter of the women’s sports movement and is home to a passionate community of basketball fans. Pairing this energy with the Bhathal family’s vision of leading top-flight professional sports teams will ensure that we deliver a premier WNBA team to the greater Portland area.”

While a new practice facility will be built for the team, the franchise will play at the Moda Center, home of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers.

Cathey Engelbert talks to the media before the game between the Team WNBA and the USA Basketball Women’s National Team during the 2024 WNBA All Star Game on July 20, 2024 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. (Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Portland team will debut in 2026 and joins two other expansion franchises — the Golden State Valkyries, who will begin playing next season, and the Toronto franchise.

CAITLIN CLARK SCORES CAREER-HIGH 35 POINTS, SETS WNBA ROOKIE SINGLE-SEASON SCORING RECORD

The expansion of the league from 12 teams to 15 comes amid a surge in growth for the WNBA, a surge headlined by Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark.

Clark, the former Iowa star and college basketball shooting phenom, has continued to shatter personal records while also promoting the game of women’s basketball. The Fever’s average attendance of just under 17,000 leads the WNBA, and 10 of their games have set league TV viewership records — many in front of sellout crowds. 

The league announced just last month that Indianapolis would host the 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend — a first for Indy. 

Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston (7) celebrates with Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) altering recording a triple-double Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Indiana Fever defeated the Los Angeles Sparks, 93-86. (Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“We are in the middle of a pivotal, transformational moment in the history of the WNBA and women’s basketball, and we are thrilled Indiana will be the center of it all with the game’s biggest stars on display during next season’s All-Star Game,” Mel Raines, CEO of Pacers Sports & Entertainment, said in a press release. “Leaders across our community are going to do what we do best: welcome fans from around the nation and the globe to Indiana, raise the bar for future host cities, and leave a lasting legacy for our city and state.”

The WNBA also announced a landmark media rights deal with the Walt Disney Company, Amazon Prime Video and NBCUniversal set to run through 2036 and a multi-year partnership with Delta Air Lines, which became the official airline partner of the WNBA. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.