Fire, Thorns Owners All In on Portland Despite Missing Out on Blazers
The sibling owners say Portland is a “mid-market unicorn.”
Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal, the owners of the Fire and Thorns WNBA team and Thorns NWSL team through RAJ Sports, are fully committed to Portland despite losing out on purchasing the NBA's Trail Blazers. The family tried to acquire the Blazers last year but was outbid by Dundon's group. They later settled a lawsuit with one of Dundon's partners, facilitated by Dundon himself.
While missing out on the Blazers was a "big stinger," the Bhathals are focusing on their women's sports properties in Portland. They recently opened a $150 million performance center in Portland, designed specifically for female athletes. The Thorns lead the NWSL in average attendance this season, and the Fire are fourth in average attendance in the WNBA.
The Bhathals believe in the long-term potential of women's sports, stating that it "is here to stay" and that there is "no reason why women's sports can't be comparable to men's sports in valuations."
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