"Looks like a dumpster fire" - WNBA fans react to Portland expansion franchise returning with old name and logo

WNBA fans reacted to the Portland Fire, the league's 15th team, a part of the league's expansion, retaining the original name and logo of its first WNBA team, which played from 2001 to 2003. The announcement was made on Tuesday.

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The new team name and logo were met with mixed reactions from fans on social media.

"Looks like a dumpster fire. Not a good look," the fan wrote.

Another fan also had a similar opinion and said that it looked like a dumpster fire.

"The dumpster fire memes will be too easy."

Another WNBA fan was not happy with the team name:

"😭😭😭surely they could have come up with a better name?"

A fan took a shot at the city:

"Wonder why they didn’t go with the local favorite, Molotov Cocktails."

Meanwhile, some fans were happy with the team going back to their original name and logo.

"Great to have them back! I never watched the original Portland Fire from 2000-2002. So now will be my chance to see them! ❤️‍🔥🏀." one fan wrote.

Yet another fan was unhappy with the logo, but was happy with the city of Portland having its own team. The fan commented:

"Glad to have them back, I hated the logo at first but I’m not gonna be that person 🤣🤣🤣 welcome back, Portland. 🙏🏾."

A fan took the opportunity to pay respect to Jackie Stiles and her teammates, the original Portland Fire legends who played until the team folded. The fan wrote:

"This one is for Jackie Stiles and all the other incredible ladies who played for Portland years ago 🌹🔥."

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All about the WNBA's expansion Portland Fire team logo and name

According to the WNBA, the Portland Fire hired Adopt, a creative agency in the city, to design the logo. The logo took inspiration from the 12 bridges in Portland that connect East and West.

The logo features a blend of the city's love affair with roses and the first intensity. The "Rose on Fire" logo enters through the letterforms of "Fire" and the curved design of the flames visualizes the curved roofline of the Moda Center, where the team will play its games.

The logo is surrounded by a curved shield, which stands for Portland's resiliency, pride and the city's identity. Moreover, the top of "P" copies the shape of Mount Hood, the highest point in Oregon.

The reports of the original expansion team in Portland go back to a year before WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced the expansion team in 2024. In 2023, there were rumors that the league would award the ownership to Kirk Brown, a tech billionaire.

However, the proposal failed due to a conflict of interest. Moreover, Brown also wanted to name his WNBA team, Rose City Royalty, which Engelbert was not comfortable with.

A year later, the ownership of the expansion team was awarded to Alex Bhathal and Lisa Bhathal Merage of RAJ Sports, who are also the owners of Portland Thorns FC in NWSL.

About the author

Nandjee Ranjan is a journalist covering the NBA and WNBA at Sportskeeda whose passion for basketball dates back to his childhood when he enjoyed playing the sport in school.

Nandjee finds his heart divided between two NBA powerhouses: the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. He idolizes LeBron James and his leadership, while he appreciates the Warriors' dynamic and team-oriented style of play.
Basketball, for Nandjee, isn't just a sport but a holistic approach to fitness and well-being. He's been drawn to team sports, finding fulfillment in the physical engagement basketball offers.

With years of following basketball, Nandjee contextualizes historical events and player performances. He believes in conducting thorough research before writing, only taking information from reliable sources. He doesn’t mind taking more time to write an articles, as long as it is 100% accurate for his readers’ benefit.

During his leisure hours, Nandjee finds relaxation by reading books.

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Edited by Krutik Jain