Oregon's WNBA team stepped back in time for its new name, reintroducing the Portland Fire. The expansion franchise, which begins play next next season along with the Toronto Tempo, announced its name and branding on Tuesday — reviving the moniker of the city's previous WNBA team that played from 2000 to 2002.

Don’t name your new WNBA team Portland Fire if you aren’t prepared to have your welcome party during a heat wave. It might not be a universal lesson, but it was an important one learned, possibly too late,

The WNBA awarded Portland a franchise in September, and it will begin its inaugural season in 2026 amid a wave of league expansion.