Portland's WNBA expansion team, which will start playing in 2026 has decided to use the same name, Portland Fire, that the city's previous WNBA team used from 2000 to 2002.
While announcing the decision on Tuesday, July 15, Portland's interim president Clare Hamill said, "As a city that has long championed women's sports, Portland is ready to reclaim its place in the WNBA and reignite its connection to the game on the world stage."
The statement added, "We are thrilled to complete the journey of bringing professional women's basketball back to the Rose City while honoring legacy of the original franchise to blaze a new, bold path forward."
The team's logos and design are based on symbols from Portland. The word mark design takes inspiration from the city's 12 bridges that connect the east and west sides, as per ESPN.
One logo, a red "P" shows the outline of Mount Hood, Oregon's tallest mountain, while another logo shows a rose on fire which represent Portland's famous rose and the team's name "Fire."
The flame design is also seen in the letters which are styled after the curved roof of the Moda Center, where the team will play.
The Portland Fire will officially join the WNBA next season, along with another new team called the Toronto Tempo.
In addition to this, the WNBA will introduce three more expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia and they are scheduled to join the league in 2028, 2029 and 2030.
