The Fire is still burning in Portland, Oregon, after the newest Women’s National Basketball Association team officially unveiled its name and logos.
The team announced on its website and social media channels on Tuesday, July 15, that it would revive the Portland Fire moniker, the name under which the city’s former WNBA franchise played for three seasons from 2000 to 2002. The team also unveiled a suite of new logos using a red-dominant colour scheme that were designed by Portland-based brand and creative agency Adopt.
A team reborn, the Portland Fire marks the revival of a movement. Rooted in the identity and energy of Portland, the Portland Fire brand is bold and modern with a nod to its history. The new brand reflects unapologetic determination and city pride, with every element – from the custom logo and commanding typography to the Fire Red, Brown, Blue, and Pink palette – evoking the power, grit, calm, and creativity that defines the team.
The centerpiece of the Fire’s identity is the “Rose Icon,” a depiction of a flaming red rose that “represents the fire that burns from within and the passion for our city,” according to the team’s website. It’s seen in the team’s primary logo at the bottom of a dark grey shield, with “FIRE” in large letters above and “PORTLAND” in smaller arched letters above that.
The rose icon can also stand on its own. Aside from the flower petals and flames, it incorporates the architecture of their home arena, the Moda Center, in the middle. The Fire’s portfolio includes a solid red version and one with a gradient.
The wordmark, meanwhile, is inspired by the architecture of the 12 bridges found throughout Portland. “Crafted from the organic beauty and architectural precision of the bridges that brings our community together,” the Fire say on their website. “Intentional letter forms that keep Portland weird.” Versions exist with and without the rose icon standing in for the O in “PORTLAND”.
A secondary “P Icon” is a blackletter P that includes a silhouette of nearby Mt. Hood at the top. “The flares and curves of the P are inspired by the elegance and strength of a rose.”
“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. 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.”
— Clare Hamill, interim president, Portland Fire
RAJ Sports, led by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal, was awarded the Portland franchise in September 2024. The team will play its home games in the Moda Center in downtown Portland, which also hosts the NBA’s Trail Blazers. RAJ Sports also owns the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League and a stake in the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.
The Fire is one of two new teams set to take to the court at the start of the 2026 WNBA season, bringing the league to a total of 15 teams, and they recently announced they had surpassed 10,000 season ticket deposits.
The other 2026 expansion franchise, the Toronto Tempo, unveiled their name and logo in December 2024 after it leaked on the WNBA website.
The WNBA has also announced plans to expand to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia by 2030.
