Stumptown’s pride includes NBA MLS and NWSL teams – all with impressive followings. Portland area spectator sports include basketball soccer hockey minor league baseball college football arena football and roller derby. With the addition of a championship women’s major league soccer team (Portland fans supported The Thorns with more gusto than any other city in the new National Women’s Soccer League with more than 16000 fans showing to the first home game of the season) and the pending arrival of a Portland-based minor league baseball team (the Portland Pickles) at the newly revamped Walker Stadium in Lents Park in June 2016 it’s definitely shaping up to be an exciting time for sports fans in Portland.
Portland Trail Blazers
NBA Basketball
Moda Center
One Center Court
Portland OR 97227
503-234-9291
www.trailblazers.com
The Portland Trail Blazers or The Blazers as NBA fans commonly know them are a much beloved part of Bridgetown life. Playing in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference the team held the longest streak for consecutive games sold out from 1977 through 1995 a level of support that really shows how Blazer fans are die-hard and aren’t shy about public displays of affection. They won the NBA Championship in 1977 one of three times they advanced to the NBA Finals. Enjoy the halftime show’s Blazer dancers while you sip one of Pyramid Brewing’s full-flavored medal winning craft beers or local food favorites Bunk Sandwiches Sizzle Pie or Salt & Straw ice cream.
Portland Timbers
MLS Soccer
Providence Park
1844 SW Morrison
Portland OR 97205
503-553-5400
www.portlandtimbers.com
The Portland Timbers winners of the 2015 MLS Cup handed their beloved fans the franchise’s first national championship! With a history dating back to 1975 the Timbers were the 18th soccer club to join the ranks of Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2009 and celebrated their inaugural season in 2011. Just talk to a Timbers fan and you’ll see why Portland was given the moniker “Soccer City USA”—their enthusiasm is nothing short of contagious. A quintessential Portland tradition the cutting of the victory log is something to behold. Each time the team scores during a home game a round is cut with a chainsaw behind the north goal. Now if that doesn’t get you cheering nothing will.
Portland Thorns FC
National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)
Providence Park
1844 SW Morrison
Portland OR 97205
503-553-5555
www.timbers.com/thornsfc
When it comes to soccer in Portland the men aren’t the only ones getting in on the action. Formed in 2012 and owned by the same entity that claims the Timbers the Portland Thorns are one of only two NWSL teams that have been granted Major League Soccer affiliation. And if that doesn’t yield enough bragging rights the Thorns were also the winners of the first ever NWSL championship in 2013.
The Hillsboro Hops
Minor League Baseball
Ron Tonkin Field
4460 NW 229th Avenue
Hillsboro OR 97124
503-640-0887
www.hillsborohops.com
Founded in 1977 and then known as the Salem Senators the Hillsboro Hops are an affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. If you want to see no-frills baseball as it was meant to be played check out these two-years-straight winners of the Northwest League Championship Series in action. The Hops’ 38 regular season home games are mid-June through early September at newly-built Ron Tonkin Field which has room for 4500 fans. The beer garden the Bridgeport Brew Pen is located at the end of the first baseline.
Portland State Vikings
Portland State University
Multiple Venues
503-725-4000
www.goviks.com
An affiliate of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) the Vikings represent Portland State University (PSU) in all things sports. No matter what the season the Vikings always have something to offer. Men’s sports include: Football (held at Providence Park) basketball wrestling track & field and tennis. Women’s sports include: Basketball volleyball soccer golf tennis softball and track & field.
Portland Steel
Arena Football League (AFL)
Moda Center
One Center Court
Portland OR 97227
503-773-4235
www.pdxsteel.com
Oregon’s professional football team the Portland Steel began Arena Football League play at Moda Center in 2014 as the Portland Thunder. In 2015 Portland Steel (then Portland Thunder) wide receiver Duane Brooks was recognized as the AFL Playmaker of the Year after setting the League record for kickoff return touchdowns (8). Faster and higher-scoring than outdoor football the Portland Steel bring fast and hard hitting action to the Moda Center.
Oregon Ducks
Autzen Stadium
University of Oregon Athletic Department
2727 Leo Harris Parkway
Eugene OR 97401
541-346-4481
www.goducks.com
Though the Ducks could refer to a myriad of sports teams from the University of Oregon (and they do have a stellar track & field division) they’re best known by far for their football team. If you don’t know about the Ducks/Beavers rivalry (the Civil War) then you’re definitely new in town. Oregonians take this grudge match seriously. Dating back to 1894 this green versus orange rivalry is one of the oldest and most contentious in the nation. Which one’s better? You’ll just have to watch them duck it out (pun intended) and decide for yourself.
The Oregon State Beavers
Reser Stadium
Oregon State University
114 Gill Coliseum
Corvallis OR 97331
541-737-7373
www.osubeavers.com
As of the end of the 2014 season the long-standing rivalry between the Ducks and the Beavers has been contested 118 times—that’s a lot of tackles (and post-game beers). The Civil War is one of the longest-running college football rivalries in the country. Oregon State offers a multitude of sports under its buck-toothed mascot Benny the Beaver but none are celebrated quite so much as their orange and black clad football team. In the 2001 Fiesta Bowl they left Notre Dame in the dust with a whopping 32-point margin finishing the season ranked #4 in the polls. OSU baseball has had five appearances in the College World Series. Go Beavers!
The Portland Winterhawks
Western Hockey League (WHL)
Memorial Coliseum Moda Center
300 North Winning Way
Portland OR 97227
503-238-6366
www.winterhawks.com
If you’ve never seen a hockey game in-person you don’t know what you’re missing. And there’s no better team to show it to you than the Portland Winterhawks three-time winners of the President’s Cup and two-time winners of the Memorial Cup. A top producer of National Hockey League (NHL) alumni including Sven Baertschi Ryan Johansen Braydon Coburn and Adam Deadmarsh among others the Winterhawks will get you so fired up you’ll want to lace up that old pair of skates and hit the ice.
Rose City Rollers
The Hangar at Oaks Amusement Park
7805 SE Oaks Park Way
Portland OR 97202
503-784-1444
www.rosecityrollers.com
If you like your sports rough there’s only one thing that just might trump ‘em all: roller derby. Portland’s sports teams include an all female, flat track roller derby league. A primarily volunteer-run non-profit that supports charitable causes the Rose City Rollers (RCR) are focused on empowering women of all age to learn about themselves develop leadership skills and work together as a team. It’s “Brutal Beauty” on skates as the RCR strut their stuff and try to beat their highest rankings yet (currently #4 in the WFTDA).
