Portland Fire debut before record WNBA crowd
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It was part coming-out party, part homecoming and all celebration at Moda Center on Saturday as the WNBA's newest franchise tipped off their inaugural season.
Why it matters: The Portland Fire didn't win their first game, but that was the least of concerns for the record-setting crowd that roared with every point scored for the home team.
- "This isn't just a basketball game," forward Bridget Carleton told the crowd just before tipoff. "It's a new chapter for the city."
By the numbers: All 19,335 seats were filled — a sellout and the largest crowd for a WNBA team's inaugural game.
- The Fire held their own in the first quarter, fell behind by 17 in the second, then stormed out of halftime to rally back and tie the game at 70 in the fourth quarter before eventually falling 98-83 to the Chicago Sky.
Yes, but: It was less about winning or losing for Sara Johnson, a season ticket holder who hopped over from Vancouver for the team's first game with her husband and 9-year-old son, Connor.
- Johnson was a fan of the first iteration of the Fire, who last played in Portland in 2002, and was "heartbroken" when that team folded.
Having a team back in the city was "really cool to see," Johnson told Axios, especially for Connor, who got a wave from his favorite player, guard Sug Sutton.
- "We're really trying to teach him women's sports mean something," Johnson said, noting the loss was an expected result from an expansion team that came together less than a month ago. "They put up a really good fight."
Zoom in: Among the nearly 20,000 in attendance were Carrie Brownstein, Blazers guard Jrue Holiday, a handful of Portland Thorns players, Gov. Tina Kotek and U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden.
My thought bubble: It struck me that everything the team did on Saturday set a precedent — the team's first rebound, first steal and first bucket each carried an extra level of pressure.
- And the crowd responded immediately, roaring from the first tip to the final buzzer.
- As the Fire mounted their comeback in the third quarter, Moda was as loud as I've ever heard it at a Blazers' game.
What's next: The Fire will have another chance to pick up their first win when they host the New York Liberty on Tuesday at 7pm.