Portland Hosts Historic Women's Sports Doubleheader with Thorns and Fire

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — In a groundbreaking event for women’s sports, the Portland Thorns and the newly established Fire came together on Saturday for a doubleheader, marking the first collaboration between the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) teams. The day kicked off with the Thorns facing off against the Utah Royals, a match featuring the league’s top two contenders, followed by the Fire’s game against the Indiana Fever, which included standout player Caitlin Clark.

Fans were excited about the occasion, as the teams offered a special ticket package for both events priced at $80. Merchandise was also available, including shirts with the slogan “Portland Loves Women’s Sports.” The Thorns' match ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw, after which midfielder Olivia Moultrie expressed her eagerness to attend the Fire game, hoping to exchange jerseys with Clark. “Obviously, this city and women’s sports, like, that’s a match made in heaven,” Moultrie said. “Honestly, I think it’s just really cool to be able to support our own team now, with the Fire, awesome.” Her enthusiasm was rewarded as the Fire triumphed over the Fever with a score of 100-84.

The Thorns and Fire share ownership under Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal, who operate the teams through Raj Sports. Fire guard Sarah Ashlee Barker highlighted the significance of this support, stating, “Just seeing the support that they show for both of our organizations, it means a lot. I think as just as a woman, you want that support. And just seeing where women’s basketball is going and growing and being able to know that the city’s behind us, it’s really cool.”

Both games attracted impressive crowds, with the Thorns drawing 20,053 supporters and the Fire announcing a sellout of 19,347 at the Moda Center. Excitingly, the teams are set to share the nation’s first performance center specifically designed for professional women’s teams across different sports. This $150 million facility, located on a 12-acre site west of Portland, is scheduled to open on August 22. Thorns coach Robert Vilahamn expressed optimism about the collaboration, stating, “I hope in the future that we are always going to feel like we are one city and make sure we have two teams with one organization and one community with that. So I'm very much looking forward to the collaboration.”