Portland has always been a basketball city.
Now, with the Portland Fire back in the WNBA, families have a new team to cheer for, a new reason to head to Moda Center, and a rare chance to be part of something from the very beginning.
And that beginning is here. The Fire play their first regular-season game this Saturday, giving Portland fans the chance to officially welcome the WNBA back to town. For families, that is pretty special. Most young fans do not get to say they were there when a team was just getting started. With the Fire, they can.
A Fire game is also a great way for kids to see women competing at the highest level. For girls, that matters. They get to see strong, talented athletes playing in front of big crowds and realize that sports are for them, too. For boys, it matters just as much. They get to see greatness, toughness, and leadership without putting it into one narrow box.
And the best part? You do not have to turn it into a life lesson. The game does that for you. Parents can just sit back, cheer, and maybe spend too much money on snacks. As tradition demands.
The Moda Center makes the whole thing feel big. Kids love the lights, music, crowd noise, player introductions, and all the little arena moments that stick with them long after the final score is forgotten. They may not remember who had the most rebounds, but they will remember walking into the arena, holding your hand, and yelling with thousands of other fans.
The Fire are also an expansion team, which makes this even more fun. They are going to have exciting moments. They are also going to have messy moments. That is part of the charm. Kids get to watch a team grow in real time. They get to see that success is built, not handed over fully formed.
That is a pretty good lesson, too.
A Fire game works for almost any age. Younger kids can enjoy the noise, mascot moments, and snacks. Older kids can follow the action, pick favorite players, and start developing real opinions. Teens may pretend they are too cool, but they will probably take pictures anyway. Everybody wins.
Most of all, taking your kids to a Portland Fire game gives them a memory. It gives them a team. It gives them a reason to care about women’s basketball, Portland sports, and being part of a crowd that is cheering for something new.
So yes, take your kids to a Portland Fire game.
Take them because the basketball is fun. Take them because the energy is real. Take them because Portland deserves this team.
But mostly, take them because someday they may say, “I remember when the Fire came back.”
And honestly, that is worth the price of admission.
