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 Policies2Have 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/wrev830.html
Related articles
Fever's Caitlin Clark says playing with Sky's Angel Reese in 2024 WNBA All
WNBA expansion: Plans to bring team to Portland have collapsed, per reportFever's Caitlin Clark says playing with Sky's Angel Reese in 2024 WNBA All-Star Game would be 'a lot...
Read more
Blackhawks sign goaltender Petr Mrazek to two
WNBA expansion: Plans to bring team to Portland have collapsed, per reportBlackhawks sign goaltender Petr Mrazek to two-year contract extension Mrazek has provided Chi...
Read more
NHL Star Power Index: Auston Matthews scoring at will, David Pastrnak keeps piling on goals
WNBA expansion: Plans to bring team to Portland have collapsed, per reportNHL Star Power Index: Auston Matthews scoring at will, David Pastrnak keeps piling on goals C...
Read more
Top Article
- Fever's Caitlin Clark says playing with Sky's Angel Reese in 2024 WNBA All
- Patriots young defensive leader issues a challenge to his unit
- Trade Grades: Jets pay hefty price to bolster power play with Sean Monahan
- Kristi Toliver injury update: Mystics guard out for the season with torn ACL
- Liberty vs. Sun: How Connecticut's defense shut down Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu in Game 1
- Who is Cowboys' defensive coordinator? Mike Zimmer
Latest News
WNBA may increase schedule to 44 games in 2025, league commissioner Cathy Engelbert says
LOOK: Rangers unveil new alternate jerseys featuring iconic shield, 'blue shirts' on collar
Bayern Munich admit concern over Jamal Musiala renewal amid Man City links
Colts drop embarrassing loss to Packers: Everything we know from Week 2
Aces' Candace Parker becomes first player in WNBA history to win titles with three different teams
NHL Rewind: Torey Krug powers Blues to big win with five assists, late empty