How the Bhathal family is running PortlandHow the Bhathal family is running Portland
How the Bhathal family is running Portland
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The Bhathals are changing how the women’s sports game is played, from building the first-ever dual WNBA and NWSL practice facility to creating the first local channel dedicated to women’s sports. That synergy is helping the teams become a major draw for high-profile brand deals. This week, we spoke with Bhathal Merage in a rare interview ahead of her appearance at the Power Play Sports Sponsorship Accelerator about the benefits of owning both teams, both from an ownership and sponsorship perspective. As she put it, “one plus one equals five.” The math is mathin’.
March 20, 2026
New WNBA franchises embrace winning marketing tactics as they build local hypeNew WNBA franchises embrace winning marketing tactics as they build local hype
New WNBA franchises embrace winning marketing tactics as they build local hype
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January 29, 2026
Though the WNBA’s 2026 season schedule remains up in the air due to ongoing CBA negotiations, forthcoming W franchises are rolling ahead with preseason marketing campaigns.
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 Our spicy women’s March Madness predictions Our spicy women’s March Madness predictions

Is it hot in here?

Or is it just these takes? On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Steph Rotz and Lauren Tuiskula preview the women’s March Madness Final Four, a repeat of last year’s field featuring all four No. 1 seeds: UConn, South Carolina, Texas, and UCLA. Who will end up on top in this clash of queens? Steph and Lauren have a few ideas — and they might surprise you.

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