The Portland Fire may not have begun to play yet, but they're already leaving their mark on the WNBA. RAJ Sports, the Fire's parent company, announced Thursday that it has partnered with Kaiser Permanente to innovate medical care for professional women athletes.
The arrangement is meant to bring more attention to the wellness, injury prevention, and long-term health of players for both the Fire and Portland Thorns, which RAJ Sports also owns. Kaiser has promised to deliver “world-class medical care” to the basketball and soccer players, which has been a hot topic in women's sports for the last few years.
“Our goal is to have the best care in women’s sports,” said Governor of the Portland Thorns and Portland Fire and Managing Partner of RAJ Sports Lisa Bhathal Merage.
“Kaiser Permanente gives us the expertise to elevate performance, prevent injuries, and support long careers. With both teams training in our new performance center, we are building a model for the future of women’s sports and leading the way globally in how female athletes are supported,” Bhathal Merage said.
The Portland Thorns and Portland Fire, under RAJ Sports, announce a transformative partnership designed to set a new standard in medical care for elite women athletes.
More here: https://t.co/zzK4AYqBgT pic.twitter.com/QZjeOHYqqZ
— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) February 5, 2026
The collaboration includes the use of Portland's new dual-sport Kaiser Permanente Performance Center, which will become the new home for the Fire and Thorns' training facilities when it opens in 2026. Kaiser has revealed that advanced sports medicine, injury recovery, mental health support, and rehabilitation will all be available under one roof as its physicians serve as the primary care providers for both teams.
“We are honored that the Thorns and Fire have selected Kaiser Permanente as their medical provider and team physicians. It’s a testament to the trust placed in our clinicians and our integrated care model, and we’re proud to support these women athletes at the first-of-its-kind Kaiser Permanente Performance Center,” said President of Kaiser Permanente Northwest Wendy Watson.
In its press release, RAJ Sports also announced that it would name a Chief Medical Officer from Kaiser to oversee operations for both the Fire and Thorns. With the new health and performance plan in place, the Fire should be ready to hit the ground running when their inaugural WNBA season tips off on May 9.
