Professional womenâs basketball officially returned to Oregon this past weekend as the Portland Fire made their highly anticipated season debut at the Moda Center. The sold-out home opener drew a staggering crowd of 19,335 fans, marking the second-largest attendance for a home opener in WNBA history.
The evening was a celebration of a legacy reignited, blending the team’s historic roots with a modern era of dominance. American singer-songwriter and actress Justine Skye, known for her role on âGrown-ish,â set the tone for the night with a powerful rendition of the national anthem.
Adding to the historic atmosphere, Grammy-nominated artist Ashanti took the stage for a show-stopping halftime performance. As a defining pop-R&B force of the early 2000s, Ashanti provided a timeless cultural connection to the Fireâs original era. Her presence served as a reminder of the teamâs lasting influence on the Portland community. The energy inside the Moda Center confirmed that the Fireâs return is not just a revival, but a cultural phenomenon.
