Portland Fire Unveil Plan to Elevate Medical Care for Team's Athletes

The Fire's parent company partners with Kaiser Permanente to provide 'world-class medical care' for players.

Feb. 5, 2026 at 6:23pm

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The Portland Fire, a new WNBA team, has announced a partnership 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 the Fire's parent company RAJ Sports also owns. 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.

Why it matters

This partnership highlights the growing focus on providing elite medical care and support for female professional athletes, which has been an area of concern in women's sports. The new performance center and integrated care model from Kaiser Permanente is aimed at setting a new standard for how female athletes are supported and elevating the overall level of care in women's sports.

The details

Under the partnership, Kaiser Permanente will serve as the primary care provider for both the Fire and Thorns, delivering advanced sports medicine, injury recovery, mental health support, and rehabilitation services. RAJ Sports also announced that it would name a Chief Medical Officer from Kaiser to oversee operations for both teams. The new health and performance plan is expected to have the Fire ready to compete when their inaugural WNBA season tips off on May 9.

  • The partnership was announced on February 5, 2026.
  • The new Kaiser Permanente Performance Center is scheduled to open in 2026 and will become the new training home for the Fire and Thorns.
  • The Fire's inaugural WNBA season is set to begin on May 9.

The players

Lisa Bhathal Merage

Governor of the Portland Thorns and Portland Fire and Managing Partner of RAJ Sports.

Wendy Watson

President of Kaiser Permanente Northwest.

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What they’re saying

“Our goal is to have the best care in women's sports. 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.”

— Lisa Bhathal Merage, Governor of the Portland Thorns and Portland Fire and Managing Partner of RAJ Sports

“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.”

— Wendy Watson, President of Kaiser Permanente Northwest

What’s next

The new Kaiser Permanente Performance Center is scheduled to open in 2026 and will become the new training home for the Fire and Thorns.

The takeaway

This partnership between the Portland Fire, Portland Thorns, and Kaiser Permanente sets a new standard for medical care and support for female professional athletes. By providing advanced sports medicine, injury prevention, and holistic wellness services, the teams are leading the way in how women's sports are supported and elevating the overall level of care for female athletes.