WNBA to Portland? Press conference announced for Wednesday

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- The professional sports landscape in Portland is expected to expand when the WNBA announces a new team is coming to the Rose City.

KOIN 6 Sports received an email that the Bhathal family will hold a celebration of the future of women's pro sports in Portland at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Moda Center.

KOIN 6 News will be at that event and have more information as it develops.

In late August, Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report said the official announcement will reveal the Bhathal family, the owners of the Portland Thorns, as the WNBA team's owners. The Bhathal family also has a pre-existing relationship with the NBA as Raj Bhathal is the principal co-owner of the Sacramento Kings and serves as majority owner Vivek Ranadive's alternate on the Board of Governors.

The Portland team would begin playing in the WNBA in the 2026 season. It's not known if it will assume the previous team nickname of Fire.

The WNBA recently announced two new expansion teams, the Golden State Valkyries and a currently-unnamed team in Toronto.

KOIN 6 News will continue to follow this story.