![\"Article](\"https:\/\/dzceab466r34n.cloudfront.net\/Images\/ArticleImages\/457440-portland-fire-ORG.png\")
<\/div>\nThe\u00a0WNBA\u2019s\u00a0Portland\u00a0Fire\u00a0and NWSL\u2019s\u00a0Portland\u00a0Thorns\u00a0announced\u00a0a groundbreaking, multi-year media partnership\u00a0establishing\u00a0Gray Media\u2019s KPDX\u00a0(FOX\u00a012 Plus)\u00a0as the\u00a0regional\u00a0broadcast\u00a0home for\u00a0the two professional\u00a0women\u2019s sports\u00a0teams\u00a0in Portland.\u00a0Additionally,\u00a0the Portland Fire\u00a0will\u00a0add a direct-to-consumer opportunity\u00a0through a new partnership with\u00a0Kiswe,\u00a0also\u00a0providing\u00a0fan access to live games, original programming, and in-depth team storytelling\u00a0on a\u00a0newly-branded\u00a0Portland Fire streaming platform.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe partnerships with Gray and Kiswe\u00a0represent an important step\u00a0in continuing to cement Portland as the global epicenter of women\u2019s sports,\u201d said\u00a0<\/span>RAJ Sports Managing Director, Michael Whitehead<\/span><\/strong>. \u201cThese partnerships are designed to\u00a0put fans and accessibility first\u00a0and will set\u00a0a new standard for how women\u2019s sports can be enjoyed.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOur goal is to ensure all fans have the opportunity to view free\u00a0over-the-air games and support our local professional athletes,\u201d said\u00a0<\/span>Gray Local Media\u00a0Regional Vice President and General Manager,\u00a0Corey Hanson.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>\u201cFOX 12 Plus\u00a0is honored to provide the space to\u00a0highlight\u00a0women\u2019s sports, giving them the visibility\u00a0they\u2019ve earned and inspiring the next generation of athletes.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n FOX 12 Plus\u00a0will serve as the exclusive local broadcast home of the Portland Fire, with all available games airing on\u00a0FOX 12 Plus\u00a0and select games simulcast on FOX\u00a012\u00a0(KPTV). Game broadcasts will be produced in partnership with Raycom Sports, a subsidiary of Gray Media, aligning\u00a0FOX 12 Plus,\u00a0Raycom Sports, and Gray Media to deliver Fire telecasts, pregame and postgame shows, special programming tied to key moments throughout the season, and ongoing player and community impact spotlights.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Portland Thorns will continue their local broadcast presence on\u00a0FOX 12 Plus\u00a0with expanded match clearance, shared weekly storytelling segments, and inclusion across original women\u2019s sports programming.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In addition to linear broadcast coverage, the Portland Fire will debut a branded direct-to-consumer streaming platform\u00a0built and\u00a0operated\u00a0in partnership with Kiswe featuring\u00a0<\/span>?<\/span>interactive\u00a0<\/span>?<\/span><\/span>live game streaming, exclusive bonus content, and innovative fan experiences built to bring all Fire fans together.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAt\u00a0Kiswe, we believe that fans want more than just a place to watch a game, they\u2019re\u00a0looking for community,\u201d said\u00a0<\/span>Kiswe Chief Executive Officer,\u00a0Glenn Booth<\/strong>.<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cOur partnership with the Portland Fire is about far more than powering another streaming service. It is about building a dedicated digital destination where the team and its fans can connect. By combining interactive livestreaming with exclusive content and engaging fan experiences, we are creating a community-centric platform that reflects the passion of Portland and ensures every Fire fan is part of the action, no matter where they are.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The new partnership also includes original studio programming focused on\u00a0both\u00a0teams, community initiatives, and athlete storytelling, including coverage highlighting the upcoming Kaiser Permanente Performance Center \u2013 a first-of-its-kind, dual-purpose professional soccer and basketball complex from RAJ Sports designed around the needs of women athletes. Content will be distributed across broadcast, digital, and connected TV platforms, including a dedicated FOX\u00a012 CTV experience.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis\u00a0landmark partnership underscores a shared commitment by RAJ Sports, Gray Media, Raycom Sports, and Kiswe to build an innovative\u00a0multiplatform\u00a0media model that expands access and celebrates women\u2019s sports,\u201d said\u00a0<\/span>President & CEO of LHB Sports, Entertainment & Media, Inc., Lee H. Berke,<\/strong>\u00a0who\u00a0advised RAJ Sports on these transactions.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Portland Fire\u2019s\u00a0local\u00a0TV broadcast schedule will be announced\u00a0at a later date.\u00a0Fans\u00a0interested in\u00a0purchasing\u00a0Fire\u00a0season ticket memberships can do so by clicking\u00a0<\/span>HERE<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Fans interested in\u00a0purchasing\u00a0Thorns tickets for the 2026 NWSL season are encouraged to call the ticket office at 503-509-5555, email?<\/span>ticketsales@thorns.com<\/span><\/a>?or visit<\/span>?thorns.com\/tickets<\/span><\/a>?for more information.\u00a0To view the full 2026 Portland Thorns schedule, visit?<\/span>thorns.com\/schedule<\/span><\/a>. ?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n About RAJ Sports<\/span><\/strong> About the Portland Fire??<\/strong> Looking ahead, RAJ Sports will open the world\u2019s first dual-sport women\u2019s performance center in\u00a02026. The 100,000 square-foot performance center will house both the Fire and the NWSL\u2019s Portland Thorns, and will foster an environment that champions innovation, elevates athlete development, and enhances elite performance.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n About the Portland Thorns<\/strong> About Gray Media<\/strong> About?KPDX\/KPTV<\/strong> About Kiswe<\/strong>
<\/span>RAJ Sports, led by Alex Bhathal and Lisa Bhathal Merage, focuses on investment opportunities in sports and sports-related properties, drawing on the Bhathal family\u2019s multi-generational experience and relationships in the industry. The firm\u00a0seeks\u00a0to\u00a0leverage\u00a0the power of sports to affect broader social and economic change through a variety of business and philanthropic strategies. Its deep experience in professional sports operations and large-scale real estate\u00a0developments that create thriving community centers, positions the firm to deliver valuable assets that will support further growth for the players, staff, and fans. In 2013, the Bhathal family became investors in the Sacramento Kings (NBA);\u00a0subsequently\u00a0building the platform to include the Sacramento\u00a0RiverCats\u00a0(MiLB), Stockton Kings (NBA G-League)\u00a0and\u00a0several sports anchored real estate developments. The 2024 acquisitions of Portland Thorns (NWSL) and the WNBA Portland expansion team\u00a0represents\u00a0a milestone for the city of Portland and places it at the epicenter of growth for women\u2019s sports.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/span>The Portland Fire is one of the Women\u2019s National Basketball Association\u2019s newest franchises, making its official on court debut in\u00a02026. Owned by RAJ Sports \u2013 led by Alex Bhathal and Lisa Bhathal Merage \u2013 the team is more than a franchise;\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0the revival of a movement, honoring the legacy of the original Portland Fire while blazing a bold new path forward. Based in Portland, Oregon, the global epicenter of women\u2019s sports, Portland Fire is rooted in the Rose City\u2019s enduring resilience, spirit, and passion for sport.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/span><\/strong>Founded in 2012, the Portland Thorns are a global leader in women\u2019s soccer, defined by unmatched fan support, championship success, and a longstanding commitment to excellence since their inaugural 2013 season. The Thorns have created one of the premier environments in women\u2019s sports at Providence Park, leading the NWSL in average attendance for a league-record ninth time in 2025 and hosting four of the five largest-attended matches during the 2025 season. Portland is the\u00a0winningest\u00a0club in NWSL history, capturing a league-record three NWSL Championships (2013, 2017, 2022), two NWSL Shields (2016, 2021), and the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup, while qualifying for the postseason a league-high 11 times. Looking ahead, the club\u2019s investment in the world\u2019s first dual-sport women\u2019s performance center, set to open in 2026, will foster an environment that champions innovation, elevates athlete development, and enhances elite performance.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/span>We are a multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. We are the nation\u2019s largest owner?of?top-rated?local television?stations?and?digital?assets serving 114 full-power?television markets that collectively reach approximately 37%?of US television households.?The portfolio?includes 77 markets with?the top-rated?television station and 97 markets with the first and\/or second highest rated television station in average all-day ratings across the 113 of such markets that were measured?by Nielsen in 2025.??We also own the largest Telemundo Affiliate group with 47 markets and Gray Digital Media, a full-service digital agency offering national and local clients digital marketing strategies with the most advanced digital products and services.?Our\u00a0additional\u00a0media properties include video production companies Raycom Sports, Tupelo Media Group, and\u00a0PowerNation\u00a0Studios, and studio production?facilities\u00a0Assembly Atlanta and Third Rail Studios.?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/span><\/strong>Owned by Gray Media,\u00a0KPDX\/KPTV is\u00a0Portland\u2019s leading news and information providers\u00a0across all media platforms including broadcast television, streaming, and digital with an emphasis on local content, local\u00a0programming\u00a0and community engagement. KPDX and KPTV produce and simultaneously deliver more than\u00a080 hours\u00a0of news weekly to the largest audience share in the Portland\u00a0market\u00a0reaching\u00a0the majority of\u00a0Portland\u00a0television\u00a0market\u2019s\u00a0households. KPTV is the broadcast market leader in community outreach, in addition to providing creative and effective advertising and marketing solutions. For more visit?<\/span>www.kptv.com<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/span>Kiswe is an award-winning technology company that enables the biggest brands in sports and entertainment to reliably reach their fans anywhere on any screen. Whether delivered directly to their audiences or distributed through third parties, Kiswe\u2019s two flagship products, Kiswe Connect and Kiswe Core, provide partners with the tools to engage with their community, streamline their distribution process, and scale their brands.\u00a0<\/span>Fans can sign up\u00a0at\u00a0<\/span>fire.wnba.com\/streaming<\/a>\u00a0to be notified when the platform launches.<\/p>\n![\"Streaming](\"https:\/\/dzceab466r34n.cloudfront.net\/Images\/SiteImages\/168775-2025-Cover-Images---April-2025-ORG.png\")
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