Present position:WNBA expansion: Plans to bring team to Portland have collapsed, per report >>Text
WNBA expansion: Plans to bring team to Portland have collapsed, per report
Credit Card Protection Policies3Have read
About WNBA expansion: Plans to bring team to Portland have collapsed, per report Planned renovation...
WNBA expansion: Plans to bring team to Portland have collapsed, per report
Planned renovations to the Moda Center cited by the league as a key issue
By Jack Maloney • 3 min readThe WNBA's plans to bring an expansion team to Portland have collapsed, according to The Oregonian, with the league citing planned renovations to the Moda Center as a key issues. Furthermore, there was uncertainty regarding a practice facility for the team, which would have begun play in 2025.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert sent a letter to Oregon Senator Ron Wyden explaining the decision, and noting that the league still hopes to one day bring an expansion team to Portland. Engelbert's letter, in full:
Dear Senator Wyden
I was able to experience Oregon's passionate basketball community first-hand at that incredibly enthusiastic gathering of women's sports advocates that you pulled together last February at The Sports Bra in Portland. It became clear that Portland is an ideal location for a WNBA franchise. Since then, the league and a prospective local ownership group have been working with city and local officials to resolve issues related to the Moda Center.
However, in light of the potential renovation of the Moda Center currently anticipated to take place during consecutive summers, consideration of a WNBA franchise for Portland will be deferred for now until the timing and scope of the arena improvements are settled.
Thanks for the work you and Oregonians have done so far. When the time is right, we look forward to pursuing prospects for bringing the WNBA to Portland.
Per The Oregonian, the Portland Trail Blazers and owner Jody Allen were caught off guard by Engelbert's letter and had been willing to put off renovations to allow the prospective WNBA franchise to play there for multiple seasons before beginning the work. To that point, the Blazers' general plan to renovate Moda Center have been known for some time; if it was truly a major sticking point, how did the Blazers and Portland get this far down the line in the first place?
Portland entrepreneur Kirk Brown was leading the push to bring a team to the city but did not respond to requests for comment from The Oregonian. His current and potential future involvement is not known at this time. Early in October multiple reports suggested that a new team coming to Portland was "close to a done deal." Wyden's office issued a statement saying that he was "confident the scoreboard will end up with Portland winning that franchise."
Whether the two parties could eventually get negotiations back on track for the team, which will have an expansion fee of $50 million, remains to be seen. If not, the league will have to reopen their search.
Tags:
Reprinted :Welcome friends to share to the network, but please explain the source of the article“Credit Card Protection Policies”。http://aqntz.feilaokan.com/2clc030.html
Related articles
Washington Mystics hold on for nail
WNBA expansion: Plans to bring team to Portland have collapsed, per reportWashington Mystics hold on for nail-biting victory over Chicago Sky, their second straight win of 20...
Read more
College basketball rankings: Mark Sears' return to Alabama bumps Tide to No. 2 in Top 25 And 1
WNBA expansion: Plans to bring team to Portland have collapsed, per reportCollege basketball rankings: Mark Sears' return to Alabama bumps Tide to No. 2 in Top 25 And 1...
Read more
Angel Reese's brilliant rookie season with Sky fueled by 'relentless' desire for offensive rebounds
WNBA expansion: Plans to bring team to Portland have collapsed, per reportAngel Reese's brilliant rookie season with Sky fueled by 'relentless' desire for offensive rebounds...
Read more
Top Article
- College basketball transfer portal: Indiana landing guard Myles Rice was best fit of the weekend
- 2024 WNBA Draft Lottery: Which team needs the No. 1 overall pick the most?
- Aliyah Boston, Jewell Loyd among six WNBA athletes participating in 2024 Player Marketing Agreement
- 2023 WNBA Finals: Three key areas the Liberty can improve in Game 2 against the Aces
- Ranking the top five WNBA rookie debuts, including Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Cameron Brink
- Scott Matlock is the NFL’s Travis Hunter with versatile role
Latest News
2023 WNBA playoffs: Las Vegas Aces earn No. 1 seed, home
2024 NHL playoff schedule: Panthers topple the Lightning in five games to advance
2024 NCAA championship game predictions: UConn vs. Purdue expert picks, odds, March Madness bracket
Elmarko Jackson injury: Kansas guard expected to miss 2024
Kentucky basketball schedule 2024
Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender Finds Its Toph for Season 2