PORTLAND FIRE AND PORTLAND THORNS ANNOUNCE LANDMARK BROADCAST PARTNERSHIP WITH GRAY MEDIA’S FOX 12 PLUS (KPDX)
Rhea-AI Summary
Portland Fire and Portland Thorns (GTN) announced a multi-year media partnership with Gray Media’s KPDX (FOX 12 Plus) on Feb 24, 2026, making FOX 12 Plus the regional broadcast home for both teams. Portland Fire will also launch a branded direct-to-consumer streaming platform powered by Kiswe. The deal includes Raycom Sports production, shared original women’s sports programming, and distribution across broadcast, digital, and connected TV. RAJ Sports plans a 100,000 sq ft dual-sport Kaiser Permanente Performance Center opening in 2026 to house both teams.
Positive
- Exclusive local TV home for Portland Fire on FOX 12 Plus
- DTC streaming platform partnership with Kiswe for interactive live games
- 100,000 sq ft dual-sport performance center opening in 2026
- Expanded Thorns match clearance and shared women’s sports programming
- Raycom Sports to produce broadcasts with pre/postgame shows
Negative
- None.
Key Figures
Previous Partnership Reports
| Date | Event | Sentiment | 24h Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 12 | MLB TV partnership | Positive | -3.3% | Expanded Cardinals over-the-air programming across multiple Midwestern markets. |
| Feb 03 | MLB deal extension | Positive | -2.0% | Extended Kansas City Royals partnership with select free games in 18 markets. |
| Nov 11 | NBA simulcast expansion | Positive | -3.2% | Expanded Memphis Grizzlies simulcasts free over-the-air across six markets. |
| Aug 28 | NHL outer-market deal | Positive | -2.4% | Partnership to simulcast 17 Dallas Stars games across 15 regional markets. |
| Jul 18 | College sports network | Positive | -1.4% | Game-changing TV deal making Gray stations official home of Tennessee Volunteers. |
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Partnership announcements have generally been followed by negative next-day moves despite positive strategic framing.
Over the past several months, Gray Media has repeatedly used partnership announcements to expand its live sports footprint. Recent deals covered the St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Stars, and University of Tennessee Athletics, typically adding free over‑the‑air access across multiple markets. Those partnership headlines often coincided with next‑day share declines between about -1% and -3%. Today’s Portland Fire and Portland Thorns agreement continues this sports-rights strategy, extending Gray’s reach into women’s basketball and soccer via KPDX (FOX 12 Plus) and related production assets.
Key Terms
direct-to-consumer technical
streaming platform technical
connected TV technical
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
FOX 12 Plus Will Become The Home of the Portland Fire and Portland Thorns
With New Focus On Women’s Sports
Portland Fire Announces Partnership With Kiswe To Power Fan-Focused
Streaming Platform
PORTLAND, Ore., Feb. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The WNBA’s Portland Fire and NWSL’s Portland Thorns announced a groundbreaking, multi-year media partnership establishing Gray Media’s KPDX (FOX 12 Plus) as the regional broadcast home for the two professional women’s sports teams in Portland. Additionally, the Portland Fire will add a direct-to-consumer opportunity through a new partnership with Kiswe, also providing fan access to live games, original programming, and in-depth team storytelling on a newly-branded Portland Fire streaming platform.
“The partnerships with Gray and Kiswe represent an important step in continuing to cement Portland as the global epicenter of women’s sports,” said RAJ Sports Managing Director, Michael Whitehead. “These partnerships are designed to put fans and accessibility first and will set a new standard for how women’s sports can be enjoyed.”
“Our goal is to ensure all fans have the opportunity to view free over-the-air games and support our local professional athletes,” said Gray Local Media Regional Vice President and General Manager, Corey Hanson. “FOX 12 Plus is honored to provide the space to highlight women’s sports, giving them the visibility they’ve earned and inspiring the next generation of athletes.”
FOX 12 Plus will serve as the exclusive local broadcast home of the Portland Fire, with all available games airing on FOX 12 Plus and select games simulcast on FOX 12 (KPTV). Game broadcasts will be produced in partnership with Raycom Sports, a subsidiary of Gray Media, aligning FOX 12 Plus, Raycom 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.
The Portland Thorns will continue their local broadcast presence on FOX 12 Plus with expanded match clearance, shared weekly storytelling segments, and inclusion across original women’s sports programming.
In addition to linear broadcast coverage, the Portland Fire will debut a branded direct-to-consumer streaming platform built and operated in partnership with Kiswe featuring interactive live game streaming, exclusive bonus content, and innovative fan experiences built to bring all Fire fans together.
“At Kiswe, we believe that fans want more than just a place to watch a game, they’re looking for community,” said Kiswe Chief Executive Officer, Glenn Booth. “Our 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.”
The new partnership also includes original studio programming focused on both teams, community initiatives, and athlete storytelling, including coverage highlighting the upcoming Kaiser Permanente Performance Center – 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 12 CTV experience.
“This landmark partnership underscores a shared commitment by RAJ Sports, Gray Media, Raycom Sports, and Kiswe to build an innovative multiplatform media model that expands access and celebrates women’s sports,” said President & CEO of LHB Sports, Entertainment & Media, Inc., Lee H. Berke, who advised RAJ Sports on these transactions.
The Portland Fire’s local TV broadcast schedule will be announced at a later date. Fans interested in purchasing Fire season ticket memberships can do so by clicking HERE.
Fans interested in purchasing Thorns tickets for the 2026 NWSL season are encouraged to call the ticket office at 503-509-5555, email ticketsales@thorns.com or visit thorns.com/tickets for more information. To view the full 2026 Portland Thorns schedule, visit thorns.com/schedule.
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About RAJ Sports
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’s multi-generational experience and relationships in the industry. The firm seeks to leverage the 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 developments 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); subsequently building the platform to include the Sacramento River Cats (MiLB), Stockton Kings (NBA G-League) and several sports anchored real estate developments. The 2024 acquisitions of Portland Thorns (NWSL) and the WNBA Portland expansion team represent a milestone for the city of Portland and places it at the epicenter of growth for women’s sports.
About the Portland Fire
The Portland Fire is one of the Women’s National Basketball Association’s newest franchises, making its official on court debut in 2026. Owned by RAJ Sports – led by Alex Bhathal and Lisa Bhathal Merage – the team is more than a franchise; it’s the 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’s sports, Portland Fire is rooted in the Rose City’s enduring resilience, spirit, and passion for sport.
Looking ahead, RAJ Sports will open the world’s first dual-sport women’s performance center in 2026. The 100,000 square-foot performance center will house both the Fire and the NWSL’s Portland Thorns, and will foster an environment that champions innovation, elevates athlete development, and enhances elite performance.
About the Portland Thorns
Founded in 2012, the Portland Thorns are a global leader in women’s 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’s 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 winningest club 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’s investment in the world’s first dual-sport women’s performance center, set to open in 2026, will foster an environment that champions innovation, elevates athlete development, and enhances elite performance.
About Gray Media
We are a multimedia company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. We are the nation’s largest owner of top-rated local television stations and digital assets serving 114 full-power television markets that collectively reach approximately
About KPDX/KPTV
Owned by Gray Media, KPDX/KPTV is Portland’s leading news and information providers across all media platforms including broadcast television, streaming, and digital with an emphasis on local content, local programming and community engagement. KPDX and KPTV produce and simultaneously deliver more than 80 hours of news weekly to the largest audience share in the Portland market, reaching the majority of Portland television market’s households. KPTV is the broadcast market leader in community outreach, in addition to providing creative and effective advertising and marketing solutions. For more visit www.kptv.com.
About Kiswe
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’s 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.
Media Contact:
Portland Fire – portlandfire@berkcommunications.com
Portland Thorns – mradmanovich@thorns.com
KPDX/KPTV – terri.peck@kptv.com
Kiswe – jake.nishimura@kiswe.com
