Rip City rekindles past WNBA team name: Portland Fire
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What's old is new again. Photo: Courtesy of the Portland Fire
Portland's WNBA team unveiled their (kinda) new name and logo Tuesday. Meet the Portland Fire. Again.
Why it matters: Fans in Portland — which the team called "the global epicenter of women's sports" — have been clamoring for a new women's basketball team since the first iteration of the team played here more than two decades ago.
What they're saying: "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," said Clare Hamill, Portland Fire interim president, in a press release.
- "We are thrilled to complete the journey of bringing professional women's basketball back to the Rose City, while honoring the legacy of the original franchise to blaze a new, bold path forward."
Between the lines: The team said the logo was crafted to evoke elements unique to Portland and the northwest.
- The typography draws from the city's bridges, "bringing the community and fan base together," the team said in a written statement.
- If you squint hard enough, sitting atop the stylized P is the silhouette of Mount Hood.
- The logo is anchored by the "Rose on Fire" emblem, framed within a shield meant to represent "pride, resilience, and Portland identity."
Yes, but: Not everyone is enthusiastic about running back the same name from a team that went defunct in 2002.
- The choice was castigated by the Oregonian's sports columnist.
- And a poll of Axios Portland readers found that more than half of respondents thought we could do better, while less than 20% were pleased with the name.
💠My thought bubble: Count me among those hoping the team would opt for something more original than the Fire, but that doesn't mean I'm not excited.
- We are a city that loves basketball and women's sports.
- That we now have something that merges those two passions is worth celebrating, no matter what logo is on the front of the jerseys.
What's next: The team will tip off its first game next summer.