Portland says it’s the epicenter of women’s sports — but Seattle, the Bay Area and the Twin Cities disagree

August 22, 2026

Portland is doubling down on its “epicenter of women’s sports” branding with Epicenter Week, a Nike- and RAJ Sports-backed summit that draws league leaders and stars to the city. The push is underscored by the new $150M Kaiser Permanente Performance Center, a shared training home for the NWSL’s Thorns and WNBA’s Fire, plus marquee events like the LPGA’s Portland Classic. yahoo