WNBA’s Expansion to Portland Cancelled over Team Name Dispute
Key points:
- The WNBA's planned expansion to Portland has fallen through due to a conflict between prospective owner Kirk Brown and Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
- Brown abruptly pulled out of the deal just days before the team's announcement, leaving the proposed team without a primary owner.
- The disagreement between Brown and Engelbert centered around the team name and branding, with Brown wanting the team to be called the Rose City Royalty.
WNBA’s plans to expand to Portland fell through after prospective owner Kirk Brown abruptly pulled out due to a conflict with commissioner Cathy Engelbert. Brown, a co-founder of ZoomInfo, withdrew just days before the team’s announcement, leaving the proposed team without an owner and the funds to pay the $50 million expansion fee. While stadium renovations were cited as a concern, sources revealed that the major reason for the expansion falling apart was the strained relationship between Brown and Engelbert, including disagreements over team name and branding. It remains unclear if Portland will have another opportunity for expansion.
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