RAJ Sports: An Introduction for Portland WNBA Fans

If you're excited about Portland's new WNBA team coming in 2026, you've definitely heard the name “RAJ Sports” thrown around. They're the ownership group. They're the money behind the operation. 

But who are they?

Most people know that RAJ Sports owns our incoming WNBA team and the Portland Thorns. They've got serious money and seem committed to women's sports. Beyond that, it gets pretty fuzzy for most fans.

So let's take a closer look at who RAJ Sports is and what it means for Portland’s future in the WNBA. Spoiler alert: Portland hit the ownership lottery.

Who Are the Bhathals? The Family Behind RAJ Sports 

Let's start with the basics: Who owns RAJ Sports? The Bhathal family owns RAJ Sports, which is part of RAJ Capital. 

The Bhathal family isn't your typical billionaire sports ownership group that treats teams like trophies. This is a family that built their fortune the hard way, and that matters more than you might think.

Raj Bhathal came to America from India in 1960 as a man on a mission. He didn't inherit wealth or connections. Instead, he built a swimwear empire from absolutely nothing. Fast-forward to today, and RAJ Swim is still a major player in the industry after more than 50 years. 

Raj's kids, Alex and Lisa, are the powerhouses behind RAJ Sports today. Sure, they were born into the family dynasty, but they didn't start in corner offices. They worked the factory floors, learned every part of the business from the ground up, and eventually became co-CEOs before selling the company in 2006 for what industry insiders call a massive payday. 

In short, the Bhathals are a family with a history of business savvy, success, and lots of capital — all good things for Portland’s new WNBA team.

RAJ Sports Track Record 

Okay, we’ve talked about their business savvy and success with a swimwear brand, but what does that have to do with professional sports team ownership? Our new WNBA team is not the first team RAJ Sports has picked up. Let’s take a look at their track record with pro sports teams.

Sacramento Kings

When the Bhathals bought into the Sacramento Kings in 2013, the franchise was a mess. The team was terrible, the arena was ancient, and downtown Sacramento felt like a ghost town after 6 PM. Then, the Bhathals built a $1.4 billion entertainment ecosystem. 

The Kings’ new stadium, Golden 1 Center opened in 2016, but that was just the beginning. They added hotels, restaurants, shopping, and turned an entire downtown district into a destination. The results speak for themselves: sold-out crowds, a revitalized city center, and a Kings team that's been a consistent playoff threat.

The takeaway? This ownership group doesn’t just buy teams and hope for the best. They’re willing to put in the work (and the money) to build the infrastructure great teams need to succeed.

Portland Thorns

The Bhathals officially took over the Thorns in January 2024, and they're already planning a new world-class training facility (the one they’ll share with Portland’s WNBA team). 

The Thorns won the NWSL Championship in 2022, before this ownership group arrived. RAJ Sports could have easily coasted on that success. Instead, they're investing in infrastructure to make sure Portland stays at the top.

That tells you everything about how they approach women's sports: not as an afterthought, but as a priority worth serious investment.

The Bigger Picture

Since 2018, RAJ Sports has poured $1.5 billion into real estate and community development projects. They're not just billionaires collecting sports teams like baseball cards. Instead, they understand the value a great pro sports team can bring to a city, and they’re taking the time to build those community anchors.

For Portland, that means our WNBA team has a partner who wants to build something permanent and meaningful in our city.

What This Means for Portland's WNBA Team 

So, we’ve established that the Bhathals have a great track record of investing in pro sports teams and helping them thrive, but let’s dig into what that means for Portland and our new team.

First off, RAJ Sports runs a multi-billion-dollar investment platform called Revitate. That means when our team needs a star player, state-of-the-art facilities, or top-tier coaching staff, there's no "we'll see what's in the budget" conversations. Or, I guess there might be, but those budgets will be massive.

Based on their Sacramento and Thorns track record, they'll build world-class everything from day one. Family ownership also means we're not dealing with corporate shareholders demanding quick profits. The Bhathals think in decades, not quarters, and that's the kind of stability that builds championship cultures.

But money is only part of the equation. RAJ Sports just brought in Mike Whitehead as Managing Director. Who is Mike Whitehead? He has serious NBA and MLS front office experience, most notably with the Sacramento Kings. He’s the one who oversaw that Golden 1 Center transformation we were talking about earlier.

They also promoted Karina LeBlanc from her championship-winning Thorns GM role to oversee strategic growth across both teams. So, not only do the Bhathals have plenty of business sense, they’re also bringing in their A-players to help build Portland’s WNBA presence from the jump.

Finally, RAJ Sports aren’t strangers to Portland. They’ve owned the Thorns for over a year. They understand Portland's sports culture, our expectations, and what it takes to succeed here. They're not outsiders trying to figure out our market; they're already part of our community. 

Plus, they're not treating women's sports like a side project. Between the Thorns and the WNBA team, Portland is becoming their women's sports headquarters. And with the Moda Center as our home court? We're getting NBA-level infrastructure from game one.

The Bottom Line: Why Portland Fans Should Be Excited 

When RAJ Sports gets involved, teams get better, period. Their track record is filled with better facilities, better talent, and better results. The Sacramento Kings went from league laughingstock to consistent playoff contender. The Thorns are already getting infrastructure upgrades after just one year of ownership. There's a pattern here, and it points toward championships.

What makes this even better for Portland is that women's sports isn't some side hustle for the Bhathals. With both the Thorns and our incoming WNBA team, Portland is their women's sports headquarters. That level of focus and investment is (unfortunately) rare in women’s sports, and it's exactly what our city deserves.

Some WNBA expansion teams get owners who see dollar signs and quick returns. Portland got owners who see championships and generational impact. That's the difference between hoping for success and expecting it.

The 2026 season can't get here fast enough.

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