Portland sports get weird(er) with two new soccer teams
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Care for a side of soccer with your sausage? Photo: Courtesy of the Portland Bangers
The Portland sports landscape has been fairly static for a while, but things got decidedly stranger (and more fun) this year via a few new additions.
The big picture: The Collide Agency — the folks behind the Portland Pickles baseball team — introduced Portland to two new pre-professional soccer teams: the Portland Bangers and the Portland Cherry Bombs.
- We chatted with Collide co-founder Alan Miller to hear about what makes Rip City the perfect incubator for teams that are known almost as much for their gametime shenanigans as for their performance on the pitch.
State of play: The Pickles have leaned into the weird — represented by their towering mascot, Dillon, and promotions like Tattoo Tuesdays and Exploding Whale Night — and Miller said fans should expect even more with the new teams.
- "There's a level of open-mindedness here," Miller told Axios. "It's one of those markets that's very accepting of ideas and creativity. That gives us permission to try things that might not work elsewhere."
The Bangers mascot, a suggestively shaped frankfurter named Saucy T. Sausage, is one facet that feels like it could only work in a place like Portland.
- But because there are far fewer breaks in the action in soccer than in baseball, more of the focus is on the actual game, Miller said.
- "We do have a giant terrifying sausage, but it's not always the focal point because the soccer itself is so good," Miller said, noting the Bangers sold out every game in their inaugural season.
The intrigue: While the Bangers saw success, Miller said he heard a resounding question from fans: Where's the women's team?
- Collide announced the launch of the Portland Cherry Bombs last month, a squad that will kick off its season in May.
- And the team wouldn't be complete without its mascot, Mary the Cherry, set to be unveiled sometime early next year.
- "The platform we're building for women's sports is going to be revolutionary," Miller said. "We're building something very small, local and community-driven, and Portland can be a pioneer in showing how successful these teams can be."
What's next: Miller's people have been in the lab cooking up ideas for next year, and while he wouldn't divulge specifics, he urged Portlanders to "expect the unexpected."
- "What we're doing is meant to be fun and accessible. Big teams can feel distant. We want to reflect the community and bring people in," he said. "We're going to bring you the greatest summer ever."