Expansion WNBA team brings back the original Portland Fire name

Oregon's WNBA team stepped back in time for its new name, re-introducing the Portland Fire.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon's WNBA team stepped back in time for its new name, re-introducing the Portland Fire.

The WNBA 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.

"Our feeling is that the fire never died," interim Fire president Clare Hamill said. "Fans have been waiting for us to come back, and we're back with the Portland Fire."

In addition to the name, the team has a new "Rose on Fire" logo and a color palette of red, brown, blue and pink.

Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft who passed away in 2018, was chairman of the original Fire and the two teams played at the Rose Garden, now the Moda Center.