Personal Project
Women’s sports, particularly women’s basketball, have dramatically transformed in the last couple of years. The WNBA is gaining popularity faster than ever, finally getting the recognition they deserve. Though there’s more progress to be made, the league expansion is on the horizon with this new wave of momentum. This project was created in hopes that The WNBA and the city of Portland would consider building a franchise in the great Rose City.
This personal project is NOT associated with the WNBA or the players displayed.
Background: The city has acquired a diverse range of nicknames throughout its history, one of the most famous being “Rose City” or “The City of Roses.” Portland has the oldest and largest public rose garden in the U.S. Initially started in 1915 by Jesse Currey, an editor at the Oregon Journal and passionate rose hobbyist, the Portland International Rose Test Garden was established to preserve roses susceptible to destruction during WW1. The rose is beautiful, elegant, and a powerful symbol that perfectly represents the franchise; thriving despite the rainy conditions with layers of petals that are beautiful on their own, but come together to flourish through unity. This branding aims to transform the rose as a traditional symbol into a modern representation of Portland and its progressive community.
The University of Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu was the overall number-one pick in the 2020 WNBA draft and presently leads WNBA players in jersey sales. During Ionescu’s time at Oregon, average attendance at women’s games rose from 2,595 during her first year to 10,852 during her senior campaign.The Portland Thorns, a professional soccer club in Portland, draw better crowds than most men’s Major League Soccer teams—on average, 20,098 fans per game packed Providence Park in 2019. Portland already has an established fan base for women’s sports.
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