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The shared Portland Fire and Thorns training facility will be known as Kaiser Permanente Performance Center following a long-term agreement struck by the national health care provider and RAJ Sports, the parent company of the WNBA and NWSL teams.
Financial details weren’t shared but it’s an agreement that RAJ Sports believes sits in the upper echelon of women’s sports sponsorship deals. Legends Global assisted RAJ Sports, while Kaiser Permanente handled its part of the dealmaking internally.
RAJ Sports Managing Dir Mike Whitehead was familiar with Kaiser Permanente’s presence in sports from his time with the Sacramento Kings. The NBA team similarly integrated the health care provider into its organization.
The novelty of the shared facility, “enhanced the appeal in a meaningful way,” he said. “Housing two professional women’s teams from the top two women’s leagues under one roof is unprecedented in the U.S., and it positioned this project at the vanguard of women’s sports. That ambition was compelling to Kaiser Permanente as it allows them to partner with us in shaping the future of female athlete care.”
In the coming months, RAJ Sports will name a chief medical officer from Kaiser Permanente to serve the Thorns and Fire, elevating the role of medical leadership in shaping women athletes’ performance, availability and longevity.
Kaiser Permanente personnel will serve as team physicians and primary care providers for the teams, delivering an integrated approach to sports medicine, injury prevention, rehabilitation, mental health support, and long-term athlete health, geared specifically toward female athletes.
The $75M first phase of the 12-acre Kaiser Permanente Performance Center opens in early 2026 as a setting for learning how to better care for female athletes. The facility, a previously existing office building redesigned by Populous, includes advanced performance labs and sports science tech, dedicated Kaiser Permanente medical and treatment suites, mental health and wellness spaces, and strength, conditioning and recovery zones. In total, the project will cost $150M.
As part of the deal, Kaiser Permanente will become a Community Game Changer Partner of the Thorns and Fire, which begin WNBA play this season, supporting a range of initiatives advancing health equity, youth development, and the empowerment of girls and women throughout the Portland region. Kaiser Permanente will serve as the presenting partner of the EmpowHER Awards, RAJ Sports’ newly launched women’s empowerment initiative recognizing girls and women leaders, innovators and change-makers in the local community.
