WNBA Expansion Team Breaks Ground on Training Facility
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EN The WNBA rise is very alluring, and everyone is just ready to hop on the wave. The league teams are benefiting from recent coverage and overall sales; no one wants to miss the bus, even those who are yet to start their journey in the league. Yes, the WNBA expansion team for 2026, Portland, is fast-tracking its project. How?
The expansion Portland WNBA team broke ground on the training facility, and it will be shared with the Thorns. The Thorns team plays in the National Women’s Soccer League. One good thing about this decision? Both franchises are owned by a single entity – the Bhatal family, which also has a stake in the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.
Back to the ground-breaking news, the $150 million training ground project is set to be built west of Portland. It will be the first such alliance between the two women’s leagues. Making the announcement, Lisa Bhathal Merage said,
“I think this performance center will be changing the dynamic for women’s sports for generations to come. It’s the first dual-purpose professional women’s sport performance center in the world, and we may not see any others after this. Our view is to collaborate, involve the community and really lift up everybody by that collaboration.”
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While this seems to be a very unique approach by the owners, it could be very smart business-wise. The facility will occupy a smaller space instead of the two built on separate locations, and could also encourage sales in both sports. The new training facility will repurpose buildings once owned by Nike.
Berman said that while some NWSL teams share facilities with Major League Soccer teams, Bhathal’s approach is not unique, but also a smart investment-wise. The first phase of the project at the 12-acre property, as per the records, will cost approximately $75M. The goal for completion is early 2026. The timing of the completion matches with Thorns’ next season.
As for the WNBA team, which will participate in the 2026 season, it will have four more months to get players in line, while the team has yet to announce its name.
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